This film features Albert Dekker as the famous western lawman and newspaper writer, Bat Masterson. And, like so many westerns featuring fictionalized versions of real people, this one is pretty highly fictionalized....though not nearly as much as films about Jesse James (where this thug is portrayed as a hero), Wyatt Earp and others of the era. It's also interesting to see Dekker in such a role, as usually in westerns he'd play the villain!
The story starts in New York City in the twentieth century. Masterson is at work at the paper when he begins to reminisce about his time out west and about his exploits as the sheriff of Dodge City. It seems that when he became sheriff, the city was wild and violent....and he was determined to gain control of the place....and it would be an uphill battle, that's for sure!
The local 'good time girl' is Dora (Claire Trevor) and she has fallen for Masterson...though he doesn't know it. So, when a local baddie comes to town with his men, Dora goes to King Kennedy (Barry Sullivan) and offers to marry him if he and his men leave Masterson alone. While Kennedy agrees, he later changes his mind because, well, he's a big dumb jerk. So there's obviously a showdown coming between Kennedy and Masterson....let's just hope Masterson realizes it's coming!
While the film does have a few cliches (such as the tramp with the heart of gold) and takes liberties with real west celebrities, it manages to do so very well. A combination of excellent direction, good acting and a decent script make the story involving and worth seeing.
