When seeking out a western to watch, this is not one that will come to mind easily or readily.  It is of no fault to the people who appeared in it or to the people who made it, as it is a solid little western and though it does tend to plod along just a little, it is still an entertaining picture on the whole.  With Robert Mitchum in the lead, the film follows him as he goes from Mexico to Texas and back again, always working for or running from someone, yet ultimately finds himself in a good place, somewhat, by the end of the film.  Starring alongside Mitchum would be Julie London, Gary Merrill, Albert Decker and Victor Mendoza who would complement his performance and make this somewhat average story, as far as westerns go, just a little bit better.

The script itself is good, as written by Robert Ardrey, and while it is good, it is the story that is all too familiar, though it will not prevent you from enjoying the movie.  Of course the movie does feature the forbidden, married woman, the army major husband, a plot involving Native Americans and a hero who is a little morally ambiguous.  Being formulaic is not necessarily a bad thing though, as there are times when the things that go into a film can rise above the material and here it was just such a case.  A large part of that credit goes to Mitchum who would do a great job as the leading man.  The role was actually a perfect fit for Mitchum as he was always at his best playing those parts that fell into that grey area between good and bad.  Perhaps it was his nonchalant attitude or the laid-back approach that he brought to his roles, but when he rode that line down the middle where his actions were always circumspect, he would excel there more than anywhere else.

Robert Parrish would do a fine job directing, but it would be Floyd Crosby and Alex Phillips on cinematography that would really give the film the extra little push that it needed.  With beautiful shots of the desert and the countryside, the movie looked great and really gave you a sense of vastness and untamed wilderness, which in turn matched the character played by Mitchum.  It is this wildness that brings Mitchum’s character together with that of Julie London.  The two seem to have a bit of electricity about them and though they work good together, London seems oddly out of place at times.  It is possible she was intimidated by her co-star or the simple fact that she pales beside him or even that she is a better singer than she is an actor, but for whatever reason, she is the odd man out.  The rest of the cast fit their roles well and played them accordingly, but the film belonged to Mitchum and nobody else.

Technically, the film is a good one that holds your interest and the cast and crew, including Robert Mitchum, all make it worth watching.  Nobody likes their film to be thought of as such, but come the end of the movie, no matter how good you think it is, you hardly give it a thought afterwards as it is highly forgettable.  High Noon it is not nor The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and it is not for the lack of trying from everyone involved to make a film to be remembered by those that would come after.  It simply did not happen here.  Still, it is worth a watch if you are in the mood for a solid western picture and if you like Mitchum, then it will be a must-see.

3.5 out of 5