Santee Reviews

Ford is a horse breeder who becomes a bounty hunter. He kills an outlaw and adopts the man's son despite the boy's vow of revenge. Gradually the two become close, and a father-son relationship develops between them. It is revealed that Ford first took up bounty hunting when his own son was killed by outlaws years earlier. Finding happiness, he retires from the business, but, when the local sheriff is shot, the adopted son blames his father. It turns out the real killers are the gang that killed Ford's son. Ford and Burns take them on and successfully wipe out the gang--but at the cost of the youngster's life. Twice the victim of the gang, Ford is left alone. This was director Nelson's screen debut after a somewhat successful career as television director. It's not a bad Western, though it never reaches the level at which it aims; the stiff dialog and unrealistic sequences are too limiting. However, the team of Ford and Burns overcomes the script to an extent and creates a chemistry that is honest and works well. Watch for Silverheels (Tonto of the "Lone Ranger" television series of the 1950s) in a bit part as a horse tender.