Brilliant and touching

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Why is this a great western? Because it requires you to think, because it is much deeper than most films. It is about Johnny Ketcham (Russ Tamblyn), an embittered 19 year old, with an extremely fast gun, who is hunting down the man he holds responsible for the death of his mother. Spoilers Ahead: It turns out that it is his father Ace a notorious outlaw, who abandoned the family years ago. In addition to him, Ace is being hunted down by Deputy Hace Fenton (Kieron Moore), who wants the $10,000 reward that was place on Ace, because he believes it will allow him to gain social acceptance. Why? Fenton has an American mother and Mexican mother and is despised by Americans and Mexicans alike. He is actually referred to as a Gringo by Juan Morales, the head of a group of Mexican bandits. The problem with Fenton, is he is simply an untrustworthy person, far worse than Ace and even Morales which is why. In the end he gets what he deserves by being tied to stakes in the desert by Morales and is left to die. Johnny is very different than Fenton, although he has hate in his heart, he does the right thing by saving people's lives, not once, but twice, and ends up getting shot in Mexico, and ends up at the hacienda of Don Pedro Fortuna (A man he took the bullet for) and is beautiful daughter, Pilar (I think she was around 16 or 17). The kindness of Don Pedro, and the love of Pilar, start to change him, so that when he has the showdown with his father (Also a very fast gun), he could not kill him. However, Fenton who made a deal with both Johnny & Morales for the reward of Ace, shoots Ace, but that act allows Johnny, the wounded Ace, and his gang to get away to Don Pedro's. It turns out that Morales has wanted to rob Don Pedro for years, and after dealing with Fenton, the plan is to capture Ace (Dead or Alive), and kill everyone else. At the end, Ace explains to Johnny that the family could never have peace, because of his quick draw reputation (Everyone wanted to test him), and it was the mother who suggested that he go. There was an episode of "The Twilight Zone" called "Mr Denton on Doomsday." Which was about Al Denton (Dan Duryea), who becomes a drunk because he killed someone after being challenged, and how a man named Mr. Fate, gives him a drink and gets his shooting abilities back, and at the end he and another man shoot each other in the arm (So neither could shoot again), and as Rod Serling said "Fate allowed one man to get out of his hole, and another man from falling into one." The fact that Ace could never have freedom from his past, is why he became an outlaw. In fact, his lieutenant Pecos, told Johnny "I rode with Ace for 10 years, and I never knew he had a family." Two other things that were important that were said to Johnny. 1: Ace points out to Johnny, is "there are a lot worse places to be than here" (Meaning with Don Pedro & Pilar, instead of living his life). 2: Don Pedro says "How we need you and your guns." (Otherwise they would all die). In the end, after Morales and his gang are defeated, Johnny stays with them, and you know that Don Pedro will mold him into the best man he can be, so he can be both a quality husband to Pilar, and take over the hacienda one day for Don Pedro (He had no other heirs except Pilar). For Johnny, the hacienda and Pilar offer the peace and freedom that his father, and even Fenton never had, because he gets a fresh start,and no one except Don Pedro & Pilar, will know about his past. The journey that Johnny had, from angry young man, to responsible adult, and how different it was from Ace (Including being able to settle down instead of moving from town to town), is what the film was about. 10/10 stars.

Now this was a movie that looked promising, but it didn't deliver. It is very handsome in its look though, the sets, scenery, costumes and photography still look absolutely beautiful, the score is suitably rousing and fitting, I loved the film's idea and out of the supporting Fernando Rey is by far the most consistent. However, the film is too short and I think rushed too. The idea of the story is great, but it is lacking in emotion and at the end of the day it is the case of too much going on. The dialogue can be silly too, the direction is ambitious but it tries too hard and Russ Tamblyn(who I really like) and Kieron Moore are bland in the lead roles. Overall, disappointing but worth a peek I guess. 4/10 Bethany Cox

I had watched the trailer for this movie, and thought it might be a good movie - and it is, I'd set my time-recorder to tape it during the night. And should tell you that this is the first western film I had ever review.The film starts when a local sheriff and his men are on the trail of an outlaw known as Ketchum, who had bust a few coharts out of prison. Soon they met up with a 19-year-old (I think) lad name Johnny - just Johnny, who is after Ketchum for a personal reason. Then suddenly, they were ambushed by Ketchum's men, and soon after the skirmish, Johnny is on Ketchum's trail.And then Johnny came across some Mexican cattle ranchers, that were under attack by banditos! Johnny came to their aid and receive thanks from the ranch owner Pedro Fortuna; but Johnny was soon shot in the arm by one of Ketchum's men (I think). Fortuna and his men took Johnny back to their hacienda to be treated by the residents - including Fortuna's daughter Pilar. That's all I could tell you folks, you will have to see the film for yourself how it ends.Overall, this is one of my favorite western movies, loaded with action and a little hint of comedy.

Produced near the tail-end of the western cycle, this is a handsomely photographed movie that -- in its many outdoor scenes -- makes good use of the wide-screen process. It also has a rousing musical score, though at times this score drifts too far into modern territory. However, the movie's weakened by the miscasting of its two top-billed actors. Russ Tamblyn simply isn't "tough" and "hard" enough for the kind of character he's asked to play, (such was also the case with Bobby Darin in "Gunfight at Abilene"), and Irish-born Kieron Moore can't seem to find the right accent for the half-Texan, half-Mexican character he's asked to play. (On the other hand, Fernando Rey is just right as a wealthy landowner.) What's more, there seem to be too many plot elements squeezed into this script. You have Tamblyn and his outlaw father, you have a Mexican bandit, you have Fernando Rey and his daughter, you have Tamblyn and the daughter, you have the bandit versus Rey, you have the bandit versus the outlaw father, you have ... Well, this is one of those movies in which it's hard to determine the key relationship, the key conflict. Something leaner and less cluttered would have been preferable.A small point of interest: a bare-chested Kieron Moore winds up being staked out in the desert, spreadeagle style, and left to die. This time, though, a strip of wet rawhide is tied around his neck. As the rawhide shrinks in the hot sun, it will slowly strangle him. A similar fate befell another Moore in the movies. In "Gold of the Seven Saints," Roger Moore was also staked out, but in that case the wet rawhide strips were tied around his chest. Kieron was about 40 years old at this time and he still looks in good shape, physique wise, but one wonders: why was it necessary for the bad guys to remove his shirt in order to tie that rawhide strip around their victim's neck?