Charming and brutal

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Returning home after toiling eleven years as a buffalo hunter in order to to provide for his rich, estranged wife, Chuck Conners (in a terrific performance) is beaten, branded, and robbed of his life savings by banker/gambler Michael Rennie, psychotic dandy Bill Bixby, and drunken cowboy Claude Akins. (and Akins imaginary friend!) Needless to say that Chuck's infuriated when he finds out that Rennie is courting his wife.Ride Beyond Vengeance is uniquely bookended by modern scenes of a visiting census taker being told the story by a bartender, in the exact place where Conners' vengeance went down. It gives the unfolding events both a feel of historical significance and a sense of western mythology.Co-produced by game-show impresario Mark Goodson, this is stark, mean film, truly top-notch in terms of characterization and story. Anyone who thinks the Italians had a monopoly on hard-boiled, violent westerns in the sixties really should see this!Bixby is a lot of fun to watch, especially in the scene where he's confronted by Conners on a lonely road and made to squirm. Frank Gorshin's description of the aftermath is incredible!An exciting climax features one helluva rowdy fight between Between Chuck and Claude Akins.I highly recommend this!

Rugged Chuck Connors (in one of his best roles as a vengeful buffalo hunter) heads an impressive parade of Hollywood veterans and current TV stars that people this modestly pleasing and occasionally bloodthirsty Western saga: Claude Akins, Buddy Baer, Bill Bixby, Joan Blondell, Jamie Farr, Paul Fix, Frank Gorshin, Gloria Grahame, James MacArthur, Gary Merrill, Arthur O'Connell, Michael Rennie and Ruth Warrick. Connors marries wealthy beauty Kathryn Hays (the then-Mrs. Glenn Ford) but seeks to make a fortune for himself in buffalo skins, a quest which takes him 11 years and earns him $17,000. However, no sooner has he arrived back in town that he falls foul of the drunken sadism of boorish Akins, suave gambler Bixby and would-be respectable banker Rennie. Regaining his strength after being cared for by Fix, Connors soon comes face to face with Hays (who mistakes him for a saddle tramp) and, subsequently, his assailants whereupon he starts the slow process of reprisal. Bixby gets his in gruesome fashion to the torments they had themselves inflicted on Connors (with a branding iron), Akins is trashed and killed in the climactic bar-room brawl and Rennie (who is engaged to Hays) is unmasked as the thief of Connors' money. Not badly done of its kind, actually, and undeniably given a boost by that cast and its flashback structure – starting out as it does in a contemporary setting with barman O'Connell narrating of the legendary events that occurred on "The Night Of The Tiger" to visiting government official MacArthur.

This movie is in one word, "Classic!", the characters are very memorable, and it portrays a quality and originality that you do not find in movies anymore! The author of this story, obviously knows how to write a story, that keeps the viewer mesmerized! I would recommend this movie to anyone!

This is a great little movie, with everything from a double-flashback story line to the contemporary prologue and epilogue. Chuck Connors gives his best performance, as the hard-bitten buffalo hunter, whom abandoned his new bride (Kathryn Hays) to make a fortune for her. On his return, he is robbed by a band of thugs (Claude Akins, Bill Bixby and Paul Fix). They rob him, beat him, and brand him! Connors spends the rest of the film obtaining justice, both from the thugs and from the woman he left behind.The real acting kudos in this movie belong to Kathryn Hays, Gloria Grahame, Claude Akins and, most of all, Bill Bixby. Kathryn Hays sweet face belies the rage she feels at having been abandoned by Connors. Gloria Grahame is the older, still beautiful woman who cannot accept that her mature beauty is not appreciated by ladies man, Bill Bixby. Claude Akins produces a truly original portrait, a SYMPATHETIC psychopathic, sadistic killer. But Bill Bixby is the real revelation, as the narcissistic, masochistic ladies man. Bixby's performance is dowright hypnotic. The ending would be more satisfying in a novel than a movie; but, this film is well worth seeing.