I have been on an A.C. Lyles kick recently--seeing about a dozen of his movies in the last week. This producer was known for making low-budget westerns in the 1960s that feature actors who were well past their prime. In other words, old guys--VERY old guys. Sometimes this didn't work very well (such as during fight scenes between VERY aged actors) but generally I like the films, as the actors, though out of fashion, still have it in most cases. And, interestingly, Lyles used many of the same actors in many of his films--and Richard Arlen in apparently ALL of them! This film stars Rory Calhoun and also features the likes of Lon Chaney, DeForrest Kelley, John Russell (all frequent Lyles performers), Gene Evans, Corinne Calvet, Johnny Mack Brown, and Red Barry. Brown, Kelley and Barry both were once big names in TV and B-westerns and it's nice to see them here.
The film begins with Jim Walker (Calhoun) and Bill Gibson (Arthur Hunnicutt) being attacked by Apache warriors. They manage to fight their way out and discover among the Indian dead souvenirs the Apache took of recent attacks on the US Cavalry. They soon meet up with some soldiers (led by Arlen) and inform them of what they found. Well, oddly, no one in town seems to believe them--thinking Walker and Gibson are over-blowing the problem. And so, the local stage decides to go anyway--even with the possibility of crazed Indians waiting to attack. Oddly, Walker and Gibson agree to go along on the stage to help protect the passengers. Unfortunately, a super-crazy hired gun (Kelley) is on board--and he's a born trouble-maker. You just KNOW that sooner or later, he and Walker are going to have it out once and for all. However, it becomes a lot more interesting when the gunman, his friend and his boss suddenly take everyone hostage. Now, the folks might not need to worry about the Apache. What's next? See the film and find out yourself.
In many ways, this film seems a bit like a reworking of the film "Stagecoach". It is NOT a remake--it just has a LOT of similarities--such as the 'hooker with a heart of gold' (Calvet) and the embezzler. Because of this, there's not a lot of originality here, though it was made more enjoyable due to Kelley's VERY florid performance. While not quite as enjoyable, Chaney was also quite good as a grizzled old coot. But, if the you watch the film, understand it is NOT high art! There are lots of sloppy problems with it--more than you'd usually find in a Lyles film. For example, there is a scene where Evans and Calhoun have a fist-fight--and it's VERY obvious they're using stunt-men. Heck, while Evans is balding, his stuntman has a full head of hair. Also, there is a HUGE rainstorm in the film--huge. And yet, the next day, the ground is completely dry--and I am talking about dusty dry! Obviously the director, R.G. Springsteen, was no genius.
Worth seeing if you love the genre or Lyles' productions, though this is not an especially great western.
