This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

not as good as all the hype

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Yes this is a classic Western tale of 'good guys' vs 'bad guys' which Hollywood loves to recycle. Ronald Reagan (Frame Johnson) gives a fine performance as a Cincinnatus type sheriff who is called upon to quell a lawless town. The supporting cast includes the crooked and bought town sheriff (Barry Elder) and the all-powerful town leader (Preston Foster). Dorothy Malone (Jeannie) and Ruth Hampton (Maria Durling) provide the suffering women-in-waiting roles very well. Russell Johnson (Jimmy Johnson) comes off well as the hot-headed, quick to action younger brother of Reagan. The movie has plenty of color, great location shots, fight scenes and tough talking bad guys. Dennis Weaver (Frank Durling) and Jack Kelley (Jed) make the most of their screen time. This movie stands on its own and I recommend it for anyone wanting so see Reagan give a fine performance.

Even with technicolor and location shooting, the remake of the classic western Law and Order with Walter Huston pales in comparison. Ronald Reagan just isn't Walter Huston, he doesn't create the singleminded purpose of Huston's Frame Johnson. Reagan's forte is affability, it doesn't translate well here.Frame Johnson and his two brothers, played by Alex Nicol and Russell Johnson, leave Tombstone where Johnson is marshal because Johnson is tired of it. They go to Contention, but the problems of lawlessness are rampant there. Corrupt sheriff Barry Kelley and town boss Preston Foster pretty much run things their way. The decent citizens call on Reagan and the brothers to help out. Brother Alex Nicol does and is killed. You can figure the rest out.The film does have the always lovely presence of Dorothy Malone, three years away from her Oscar in Written on the Wind. Dorothy was first noticed as the bookstore proprietess who catches Humphrey Bogart's eye in The Big Sleep. She did mostly westerns after that, usually as the nice girl in gingham that the hero gets. Good thing someone saw she had more going for her than that. Here she's a reluctant saloon owner, her old man left her the place and she runs it to earn a living. Girl's gotta do, what a girl's gotta do.And of course you would have to be blind and ignorant of any kind of western history not to notice the obvious parallels between this film and any and all films with Wyatt Earp as the central character.

Law and Order is the story of Frame Johnson (Ronald Reagan) a town tamer who wants to retire. He has two brothers played by Alex Nicol and Russel Johnson who help him and a fiancee Dorothy Malone. Sounds familiar? Yes, it is Wyatt Earp all over again, but in the story of Wyatt there was the gunfight at the O.K. corral, which involved strategy, and also a lot of conflicting feelings from different factions.Here it is basically Reagan fighting a bandit called Durango Kid at the beginning,and then moving to another town where the bad guy is Preston Foster. There is a lot of action but a lack of anything else. Reagan, who was a good actor, and the excellent Dorothy Malone don't have much of a chance to show their feelings. Alex Nicol, with the collar of his jacket lifted, looks more like a model for a fashion magazine. But if your looking just for plain entertainment, this film is ok.

Merely serviceable B western with no special moments or performances. Reagan plays a hired gun trying to settle down to a life as a rancher who must take up the marshall's badge to clean up his new town after one of his brothers is killed. Malone is the woman he falls for. Strictly an attempt to replicate Randolph Scott's success in similar vehicles, but with so-so results.