The film offered two neat surprises for this viewer as I came across it while surfing around for something to watch. The first of course is Robert Mitchum in an early leading role, and a Western cowboy hero at that. I'd seen him as a heavy in some of the Hopalong Cassidy flicks, so this was a nice step up. Mitchum's presence and the type of story it was reminded me a lot of John Wayne's early films for Lone Star Productions in the Thirties. This could have been a Lone Star vehicle without much of as problem, though it's production values were somewhat better.
The other surprise was seeing Richard Martin as Chito Rafferty, a role I've only ever seen him portray as a sidekick to Tim Holt. This was Martin's first appearance as the Irish-Mexican cowpoke, though he did have an appearance as the same character in an earlier war movie titled "Bombardier" with Pat O'Brien and Randolph Scott. The part of a sidekick seemed to suit him well enough, as he provided a bit of comic relief with his fractured English and eye for the ladies.
In the picture, Mitchum is Jim Lacy, nicknamed Nevada by Julie Dexter (Anne Jeffreys), after bringing her runaway wagon to a halt while carrying a retinue of showgirls to the town of Gold Hill. 'Nevada' will rely on Julie's help to evade a murder charge, in a somewhat typical story line for this type of oater, complete with villains orchestrating a land swindle. He'll also need the help of Chito and a second partner by way of Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams as pal Dusty; arriving just in time to save Nevada from a hangman's noose. It's all pretty standard stuff, but having Mitchum in a lead role makes the hour long viewing worthwhile.
The other surprise was seeing Richard Martin as Chito Rafferty, a role I've only ever seen him portray as a sidekick to Tim Holt. This was Martin's first appearance as the Irish-Mexican cowpoke, though he did have an appearance as the same character in an earlier war movie titled "Bombardier" with Pat O'Brien and Randolph Scott. The part of a sidekick seemed to suit him well enough, as he provided a bit of comic relief with his fractured English and eye for the ladies.
In the picture, Mitchum is Jim Lacy, nicknamed Nevada by Julie Dexter (Anne Jeffreys), after bringing her runaway wagon to a halt while carrying a retinue of showgirls to the town of Gold Hill. 'Nevada' will rely on Julie's help to evade a murder charge, in a somewhat typical story line for this type of oater, complete with villains orchestrating a land swindle. He'll also need the help of Chito and a second partner by way of Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams as pal Dusty; arriving just in time to save Nevada from a hangman's noose. It's all pretty standard stuff, but having Mitchum in a lead role makes the hour long viewing worthwhile.