"Rebel in Town" offers up an interesting character reversal with the portrayals of John and Nora Willoughby (John Payne, Ruth Roman), in that it's the wife's role to maintain a balance of composure and common sense when her only child is accidentally shot and killed when a trio of ex-Confederate soldiers makes it's way to the town of Kittreck Wells. One would expect the woman in the situation to become hysterical and call out for blind vengeance, but here she maintained the voice of reason long enough for the truth of the incident to reveal itself.
The Mason clan was an interesting bunch I'd have to say. Led by Bible thumper Bedloe (J. Carroll Naish), the clan always took a vote when it came to important family decisions. Although I didn't catch any vote when Pa took a whip to bad boy Wesley (John Smith) for scheming against brother Gray (Ben Cooper). You know, I would have sworn that the part of Gray Mason was portrayed by Richard Thomas, except the math wouldn't have worked for the year the picture was released. Thomas would have been five years old, but if you pull up their pics on IMDb you'll see the resemblance.
The movie eventually reestablishes your conventional norms by the end of the story, as John Willoughby realizes his wife's advice is sound and successfully dissuades the good folks of Kittreck Wells to lay down their hangman's noose. I always hate to see a young kid get killed in one of these old time Westerns, so that's my biggest downside for the picture. However it was satisfying that Pa Willoughby was vindicated, and didn't have to exact revenge with a restless gun.
The Mason clan was an interesting bunch I'd have to say. Led by Bible thumper Bedloe (J. Carroll Naish), the clan always took a vote when it came to important family decisions. Although I didn't catch any vote when Pa took a whip to bad boy Wesley (John Smith) for scheming against brother Gray (Ben Cooper). You know, I would have sworn that the part of Gray Mason was portrayed by Richard Thomas, except the math wouldn't have worked for the year the picture was released. Thomas would have been five years old, but if you pull up their pics on IMDb you'll see the resemblance.
The movie eventually reestablishes your conventional norms by the end of the story, as John Willoughby realizes his wife's advice is sound and successfully dissuades the good folks of Kittreck Wells to lay down their hangman's noose. I always hate to see a young kid get killed in one of these old time Westerns, so that's my biggest downside for the picture. However it was satisfying that Pa Willoughby was vindicated, and didn't have to exact revenge with a restless gun.