By 1960 the Hollywood Western was pretty much headed for television. Only John Wayne was drawing fans to the theaters. Hell Bent for Leather is story that probably would have been better told on an episode of Gunsmoke or Bonanza. As it is, Audie Murphy gives it his all as horse breeder Clay Santell who is misidentified as a shotgun wielding killer named Travers, played by a smirking Jan Merlin. Stephen McNally plays US Marshall Deckett.McNally was really good at playing sleazy types and he plays Deckett as such a type. Deckett knows Sentell isn't Travers but he has decided to pass Santell off as Travers,kill him and claim the reward money and the glory of having taken out Travers, whom he really really doesn't want to actually meet up with.Audie could always be counted upon to deliver a top notch performance and Jan Merlin's psycho gunman is well played,but there are just way too many plot holes in the script, along with some clumsy direction from Sherman. Sherman would,however, go on to better things.While this film isn't on a level with Ride Clear of Diablo or Walk the Proud Land, if you are an Audie Murphy fan definitely look this one up, otherwise there are other oater's that are much better done.