"The Dalton Gang" was another Lippert Production trading on the names of legendary western outlaws. It starts with a lengthy prologue (courtesy of stock footage and screaming headlines) of the Dalton Gang wreaking havoc in the old west. Fine, but then after a promising start, the movie degenerates into a formula "B" western with minimal focus on the Dalton Gang of the title.
In the town of Rincon three of the Daltons Blackie (Robert Lowery), Guthrey (Greg McLure) and Emmett (Lee Roberts) (what happened to Bob?)are working undercover using assumed names for a water company (of all things) headed by J.J. Gorman (Ray Bennett). Deputy Marshall Larry West (Don Barry) is riding to Rincon when he comes upon a rider (Marshall Reed) being chased by "Indians". He rescues the man and in an odd move convinces the poor sap to assume the identity of the Marshall so that West can work under cover.
West takes on the identity of Rusty (not "Red") Stevens) and takes the local newspaper editor Amos Boling (Byron Foulger) and his charming assistant (Betty Adams) into his confidence. Sheriff Jeb Martin (James Millican) knuckles under to Gorman and his gang. West goes to Chief Irahu (George J. Lewis) and gains his confidence and help in destroying the gang.
The phony Indian attacks have been staged by the Dalton gang however, the link between them and the "Gorman Gang" is hardly explored. Anyway, following the murder of Judge Price J. Farrell MacDonald, West mobilizes Chief Irahu's tribe, the sheriff finds some courage and the final showdown takes place where..................
As in most of the Lippert productions, the cast is made up of many recognizable faces. Barry, Lowery and Millican had appeared in other Lippert Productions. Betty Adams was soon to sign with Universal and change her name first to Julia and later Julie Adams and enjoy a fruitful career during the 1950s. J. Farrell MacDonald had been around westerns since the early silents and George J. Lewis was a familiar face in many "B" westerns for both Republic and Columbia.
Formula "B" western that should have been better.
