St. Joseph, Missouri, 1886, law student Jack Slade, Jr. (John Ericson) is taunted by his Professor (Raymond Bailey) about his late father, alleging he used his status as a lawman to murder legally.
Jack practices his own fast draw, and his skill is witnessed by Joseph Ryan (Howard Petrie), a Pinkerton detective, who assures Jack his father was a good man serving his country, not a cold-blooded killer. The detective agency could use Jack in their attempt to apprehend the infamous "Wild Bunch," led by outlaws Billy Wilcox (Max Showalter, as Casey Adams), Harry Sutton (Neville Brand), Kid Stanley (John Dennis), Little Blue Raeburn (Michael Ross) and George Hagen (Alan Wells). Ryan gives Jack a photograph of the gang, and encourages the young man to meet him in Casper, Wyoming if he wants the job.
Jack determines to become a lawman like his father. During the train journey to Casper, Jack makes the acquaintance of Johnny Turner (Jon Shepodd), an affable, drunken cowboy. The train is robbed by the Wild Bunch, and a lovely blonde takes his Colt .45. At the next town, Jack buys a new Colt and informs Johnny he's going to the gang's hideout, Hole-in-the-Wall, to retrieve his firearm.
At Casper, Jack finds Ryan, who orders him to infiltrate the gang and learn how many people are living at the Hole-in-the-Wall hideout, a veritable fortress. Upon arriving at Hole-in-the-Wall, Jack is interrogated by Billy. The blonde bandit, Texas Rose (Mari Blanchard), recognizes Jack and offers to return his gun.
Later, Sutton rides in with Johnny tied behind his horse, almost dead from walking miles. Johnny is tended to by Texas and Polly Logan (Angie Dickinson). Sutton is drunk. Jack orders him to drop his weapon, and his fast shooting, which propels the gun across the ground, deeply impresses Billy. Billy decides to include Jack in the next day's robbery.
The next morning, Texas, Laughing Sam (Donna Drew), and Abilene (Lyla Graham), act as decoys to stop the buckboard wagon. The men then take the cash. Jack prevents Abilene from robbing one of the passengers, a preacher (Gordon Armitage). Sutton shoots the guard.
Later, Jack meets Ryan at a saloon and informs him that the outlaws are too numerous for the Pinkertons to invade. Jack advises Ryan to lay a trap, and Ryan instructs him to bring some of the gang members back to the saloon in two nights. While Jack is gone, Sutton sadistically kills Johnny.
Texas falls in love with Jack, and follows the men in the morning. Billy commences his train ambush. Jack joins forces with Ryan and the other Pinkerton men manning the train. Sutton sees Texas riding toward them and shoots her off her horse. While Jack is distracted, Billy attempts to shoot him, but Jack kills him first. A gun battle between the outlaws and detectives breaks out. Jack crawls over to the wounded Texas and succeeds in gunning down their pursuers. Although Texas is seriously wounded, she smiles at Jack and assures him that she can make it.
A 1955 American Black & White western film directed by Harold D. Schuster, produced by John H. Burrows and Lindsley Parsons, Sr., written by Warren Douglas, cinematography by William A. Sickner, starring John Ericson, Mari Blanchard, Neville Brand, Max Showalter, Jon Shepodd, Howard Petrie, John Dennis, Angie Dickinson, Donna Drew, Michael Ross, Alan Wells, and Raymond Bailey. Screen debut appearance of Lyla Graham.
Angie Dickinson's first credited role. Even in a small role, she has star power.
Two of the most ruggedly beautiful mountain settings in California were used. Lone Pine, on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and Sonora, on the west side of the range.
Superscope was the only major anamorphic projection process that used a ratio other than the CinemaScope standard of 2.35:1. The Superscope screen was exactly twice as wide as it was high. Allowing for extra waste space top and bottom, movies were shot in the standard way on standard film. In the laboratory, the image was masked 2:1 by the Technicolor company and then transferred anamorphically to standard 35 mm projection prints. A bit like Technicolor's later variation, Techniscope.
Director Schuster would head only a couple of more movies, then retreat to TV work. He had started out as an editor, and shifted to directing in the late 1930s, but never reached the top ranks.
This is a loose sequel to "Jack Slade" (1953), in which Mark Stevens portrayed the unforgettable character of a fabled Wells Fargo manager who ruthlessly killed every outlaw he faced. John Ericson is cast as Slade's son.
Soundtrack music:
"The Yellow Rose of Texas" - Traditional, arranged by J.K., Performed by Max Showalter
A fun shoot-em-up unpretentious low budget Oater, of no consequence, with more pluses than minuses, well directed and crisply written western with good production values, scrumptious eye candy, and good kissing thrown in. The music score comes across as one of Paul Dunlap's most stirring and exciting.
