What do you do when you're wrongly accused, and nothing awaits but the noose?
If you're lucky, someone takes the risks to rescue you, and, in this case, it's Chuck Conners playing lusty ranch hand Judd, who whisks Ellen (Anne Francis) from a Texas cow town too quick to judge off to neighboring New Mexico, which refuses to extradite because her trial was unfair.
Ellen tries to make a new life for herself, roping dogies and such, but she's left to contend with Judd's unwanted attentions.
"Please don't press me for feelings I don't have," she says (showing admirable pluck for a woman of that era), to which Judd retorts, "Now that you're free, you don't need me no more." Uh, yup...
So the folks back home hire gunslinger Gil McCord (Rory Calhoun) to kidnap Ellen back, and that's when things get interesting. I'd never seen Calhoun in a film before, and he is one handsome dude -- perfectly cast as the kind of trail guide you want through the dangerous desert terrain.
Not only does Gil deftly dispatch Judd and cronies, but he outsmarts and outguns four Indians up to no good.
To no surprise -- and I liked this -- chemistry builds between Ellen and Gil, to the point that she doesn't run away when she's got the chance. Gil's not one to take advantage, and he finds a way to test Ellen's alibi.
This movie worked well for me, even with its conventional ending compete with a walk into the sunset. Why shouldn't things turn out well for people with integrity?
I found Gil's character and Calhoun's portrayal to recall a much stronger Western aired recently on TCM -- "Westward the Women" (1951), featuring a similarly rugged and reliable Robert Taylor.
See both!
If you're lucky, someone takes the risks to rescue you, and, in this case, it's Chuck Conners playing lusty ranch hand Judd, who whisks Ellen (Anne Francis) from a Texas cow town too quick to judge off to neighboring New Mexico, which refuses to extradite because her trial was unfair.
Ellen tries to make a new life for herself, roping dogies and such, but she's left to contend with Judd's unwanted attentions.
"Please don't press me for feelings I don't have," she says (showing admirable pluck for a woman of that era), to which Judd retorts, "Now that you're free, you don't need me no more." Uh, yup...
So the folks back home hire gunslinger Gil McCord (Rory Calhoun) to kidnap Ellen back, and that's when things get interesting. I'd never seen Calhoun in a film before, and he is one handsome dude -- perfectly cast as the kind of trail guide you want through the dangerous desert terrain.
Not only does Gil deftly dispatch Judd and cronies, but he outsmarts and outguns four Indians up to no good.
To no surprise -- and I liked this -- chemistry builds between Ellen and Gil, to the point that she doesn't run away when she's got the chance. Gil's not one to take advantage, and he finds a way to test Ellen's alibi.
This movie worked well for me, even with its conventional ending compete with a walk into the sunset. Why shouldn't things turn out well for people with integrity?
I found Gil's character and Calhoun's portrayal to recall a much stronger Western aired recently on TCM -- "Westward the Women" (1951), featuring a similarly rugged and reliable Robert Taylor.
See both!