"The Maverick" provided star "Wild Bill" Elliott with a different type of role. He plays a by the book, poker faced, stern army lieutenant. No twin holstered reverse draw six guns in this one.
The story centers around that old "B" western staple the cattlemen versus the homesteaders. Frank Bullit (Richard Reeves) leads a gang of hired guns attacking homesteaders. He and his partners George Fane (Gregg Barton), Bud Karnes (Denver Pyle) and Fred Nixon (Gene Roth) are captured by the army. Lt. Pete Devlin (Elliott) is assigned to transport the prisoners to Fort Jeffrey for trial. Sgt. Frick (Myron Healey) and Cpl. Johnson (Robert Bray) are ordered to go along. Toopers Westman (Terry Frost) and Barham (Rand Brooks) join the party on the trail.
Devlin has been ordered to get the prisoners to Fort Jeffrey alive so that they can be tried and punished and the outlaw gang dismantled. Along the trail the group meets up with Della Walker (Phyllis Coates) and her feisty Grandma (Florence Lake) who are also going to the fort. Against Devlin's better wishes, the two join the trek. Frick has designs on the comely Della but she resists. Meanwhile Bullit's other partner, Massey (Robert J. Wilke) is organizing the remaining gang members in an effort to free the four outlaws.
One night Bullit attempts to escape but is brought down by Frick's knife. Devlin demotes Frick for disobeying orders by trying to kill the escaping prisoner. Frick, despising his superior, listens to the outlaws offer of $500 to let them loose. But then, Massey and the gang catch up to the group and..........................................
Elliot's character is unlikable through most of the movie. I thought he was out of his element for a series western. His gruff no-nonsense persona turns everyone off including Della. And you know that Myron Healey will be up to no good at some point in the story.
Most of the film takes place on the trail where nothing much happens except for the escape attempt. This tends to slow things down and induce a few yawns. There's a pretty good action sequence at the end though, which brings the picture back to life.
"Wild Bill" needs to become "Wild Bill" again.
The story centers around that old "B" western staple the cattlemen versus the homesteaders. Frank Bullit (Richard Reeves) leads a gang of hired guns attacking homesteaders. He and his partners George Fane (Gregg Barton), Bud Karnes (Denver Pyle) and Fred Nixon (Gene Roth) are captured by the army. Lt. Pete Devlin (Elliott) is assigned to transport the prisoners to Fort Jeffrey for trial. Sgt. Frick (Myron Healey) and Cpl. Johnson (Robert Bray) are ordered to go along. Toopers Westman (Terry Frost) and Barham (Rand Brooks) join the party on the trail.
Devlin has been ordered to get the prisoners to Fort Jeffrey alive so that they can be tried and punished and the outlaw gang dismantled. Along the trail the group meets up with Della Walker (Phyllis Coates) and her feisty Grandma (Florence Lake) who are also going to the fort. Against Devlin's better wishes, the two join the trek. Frick has designs on the comely Della but she resists. Meanwhile Bullit's other partner, Massey (Robert J. Wilke) is organizing the remaining gang members in an effort to free the four outlaws.
One night Bullit attempts to escape but is brought down by Frick's knife. Devlin demotes Frick for disobeying orders by trying to kill the escaping prisoner. Frick, despising his superior, listens to the outlaws offer of $500 to let them loose. But then, Massey and the gang catch up to the group and..........................................
Elliot's character is unlikable through most of the movie. I thought he was out of his element for a series western. His gruff no-nonsense persona turns everyone off including Della. And you know that Myron Healey will be up to no good at some point in the story.
Most of the film takes place on the trail where nothing much happens except for the escape attempt. This tends to slow things down and induce a few yawns. There's a pretty good action sequence at the end though, which brings the picture back to life.
"Wild Bill" needs to become "Wild Bill" again.