This film has 3 strikes against it from the beginning. First, production values were not the highest (for example, in one scene in the mountains, panning shots show a heavy snow, while closeups show a distinctly powdery snow...actually white sand). Second, the print currently being shown on TCM is very poor (in one scene it looks as if black snow is falling). And, third, Gary Cooper is the only big star in the picture. And, along with production values, there's a big difference in the Rockies of Colorado, where this is supposed to have taken place, and the Sierra Nevadas of California, where this was filmed.
Putting those issues aside, it's not a bad story. It's pretty clear early on that Cooper is working undercover, and is not really a disgraced former army officer -- branded yellow. He's working to discover who is selling horse to the Confederates through Colorado. And, as we discover who the real traitors are...well, there are a few surprises.
An interesting aspect of this picture are the supporting actors. Lon Chaney, Jr. (a long way down from his salad days as a werewolf), Alan Hale, Jr. (a la "Gilligan's Island"), Fess Parker ("Daniel Boone"), Martin Milner ("Route 66"), among others.
Putting those issues aside, it's not a bad story. It's pretty clear early on that Cooper is working undercover, and is not really a disgraced former army officer -- branded yellow. He's working to discover who is selling horse to the Confederates through Colorado. And, as we discover who the real traitors are...well, there are a few surprises.
An interesting aspect of this picture are the supporting actors. Lon Chaney, Jr. (a long way down from his salad days as a werewolf), Alan Hale, Jr. (a la "Gilligan's Island"), Fess Parker ("Daniel Boone"), Martin Milner ("Route 66"), among others.