6/10
A simple and acceptable Western compellingly starred by Randolph Scott and decently directed by Andre De Toth
4 September 2015
This exciting picture tells the story of a upright stagecoach guard called Larry Delong (Randolph Scott) . Larry tries to warn a town of an imminent raid by a band of outlaws and the townsfolk mistake him for one of the band . But Delong has sworn revenge and detain to undercover the real outlaws . Delong is besieged by Sheriff Tub Murphy (Wayne Morris) , deputies and other villagers and no one in town is willing to help him . In the Old west there are always the men who live breathe violence and the women who hold their breath .

This undemanding western is plenty of suspense as the dreaded final showdown approaches and the protagonist realizes he must stand alone against impossible odds as his fellow town people for help , nobody is willing to help him but they pursue him , while he attempts to clear his name as wrongfully accused of robber and murder . This passable tale is almost rudimentary though full of clichés , a good guy come to narration is almost adjusted in real time from the starring arrives in the little town until the ending confrontation and is given a limited time to resolve the accusation as stealer and murderer . The highlights of the film are the facing off between Scott and his enemies and the climatic showdown on the final . Phenomenal and great role for Randolph Scott as tough guy , he's the whole show , he plays a stagecoach guard seeking to clear his reputation . He gives a perfect acting as stoic , craggy, and uncompromising figure . Good support cast , such as Wayne Morris , Joan Weldon , Joe Sawyer , Frank Ferguson , James Bell , uncredited Dub Taylor and Charles Bronson as Charles Buchinsky , many of them usual in Western . Although made in short budget by the producer Ted Sherdeman , it is a enough efficient film and very entertaining . The picture contains an excellent cinematography by Bert Glennon -John Ford's usual photographer- and appropriate musical score by David Buttolph .

This typical Western was professionally directed by Andre De Toth . At his beginnings he entered the Hungarian film industry, obtaining work as a writer, editor , second unit director and actor before finally becoming a director. He directed a few films just before the outbreak of WW II, when he fled to England . Alexander Korda gave him a job there, and when De Toth emigrated to the US in 1942 , Korda got him a job as a second unit director on Jungle Book (1942) . Andre De Toth was a classical director , Western usual (Indian fighter, Man in the saddle, Ramrod , Last of Comanches , The stranger wore a gun), but also made Peplum (Gold for the Caesar) and adventure (The Mongols , Morgan the pirate , Tanganyika) . Probably his best known film is House of wax (1953), a Vincent Price horror film shot in 3D .
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