A sheriff in rugged terrain relentlessly pursues the last two members of a bank-robbing gang: a bearded old bird with a Scottish brogue and a half-breed teenager. Peculiar western with eccentric flourishes, a lot of violent action, terrified horses, a stuttering female who learns to stand up for herself, and Gregory Peck looking mighty uncertain. Peck had done westerns before, but he's all wrong here--and doesn't even get to use this accent for a comedic effect. Director Ted Kotcheff seems to take this material very seriously, but all the noisy gun fighting and the sour human interaction fails to substitute for a plot. Jack Warden probably comes off best as the determined sheriff--in fact, Warden gets so much screen-time the relationship between Peck and Desi Arnaz, Jr. seems underdeveloped. Filmed in Israel, the picture has an interesting look, but no real flavor, and no heart. *1/2 from ****
Review of Billy Two Hats
