Engaging independent western
This independent western released by United Artists has an intense plot and engaging performances from the lead players. At this point in his career Sterling Hayden had begun to drift into modestly budgeted oaters and crime flicks; this film combines both those genres, as it is basically a western with noir elements. Hayden is cast as a notorious gunfighter who returns to his hometown of Casper, Wyoming, to visit his ma’s grave, but finds out she was murdered.
At the same time he tries to rekindle a romance with an old flame (Karin Booth) who is now engaged to someone else (William Bishop). The other man is one of the town’s leading denizens, but has a ruthless streak and was behind the killing of Hayden’s mother, since he coveted her ranch. Hayden suspects this is what happened, but of course, cannot prove it. While this is going on, there’s a young man in town (Rod Taylor in his first Hollywood picture) eager to make his mark and challenge Hayden to a duel.
Because violence occurs wherever he happens to be, Hayden is not wanted around by the respectable townsfolk, and the council gives him till midnight to scram. As if all this were not enough— trying to get justice for his mother’s murder, trying to get Booth to give him another chance, dealing with Taylor, and trying to prove to the town he’s reformed— we have a marauding gang, led by baddie John Dehner, on their way to Casper to take over the town and pillage it.
At this rate there will be more than one showdown. Hayden easily succeeds in squaring off against Taylor. In the next part, the sheriff (James Millican) is shot and unable to stop Dehner, so Hayden must help defeat the gang. Also, Bishop’s character tries to get rid of Hayden who has become too heroic, but in a surprise twist, he is killed by Booth who does so, to save Hayden from being killed by Bishop. Yes, there’s a lot going on; a lot to unpack here.
Ultimately we wind up with Hayden and Booth reunited, planning a future. The death of Hayden’s mother has been resolved, and the townspeople now respect the former gunman. Despite all the intricate aspects of the plot, the film does have a laid back feel thanks to Sterling Hayden’s charming and rather subdued performance.
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