Branded a Coward

As a boy, Johnny witnesses the massacre of his family by outlaws, but he does nothing even though he held a gun in his hand. Years later he is known as a coward until a bandit called, "The Cat" comes to town.

Branded a Coward is a solid western with unusual touches such as the fact the hero (Johnny Mack Brown) suffers from occasionally gun-shyness, his nerves gets the better of him a couple of times, though later on he's fine, taking on the bad guys, but Johnny Mack Brown brilliantly expresses trepidation every time he has to face danger. He suffers from a childhood trauma which isn't normally covered in westerns. In addition to this, the sidekick -Sid Saylor does indeed overdo the stuttering - bites the dust and the identity of the cat surprised me. It was a great twist. The pace can be slow at times, but it suits the ambience of the film and there's sufficient gunplay to keep things enjoyable.