Luke Archer's will stipulates that his huge land holding will be open for filing, but only to ex-convicts who served at least two years in prison. This brings a large criminal element to town but the real crooks are Archer's Lawyer Carse and his henchmen. Dave and his deputies are aided by ex-safecracker Pinky who uses his skills to learn of Carse's plan.
Not the most action-packed western, Land of the open range compensates this with an engaging story, interesting characters like Pinky (a humorous character), comic touches, and a fresh idea of a late rancher making a will that lures ex-cons to the land rush like bees to honey, which only means trouble. Something that Tim Holt's deputy envisages. Roy Barcroft plays a lawyer and a crooked one, of course. He can play a villain sleepwalking. There's a lively land rush sequence -mainly stock footage - which leads to a shootout.
Not the most action-packed western, Land of the open range compensates this with an engaging story, interesting characters like Pinky (a humorous character), comic touches, and a fresh idea of a late rancher making a will that lures ex-cons to the land rush like bees to honey, which only means trouble. Something that Tim Holt's deputy envisages. Roy Barcroft plays a lawyer and a crooked one, of course. He can play a villain sleepwalking. There's a lively land rush sequence -mainly stock footage - which leads to a shootout.