A Confederate veteran travelling west with his daughter joins forces with two resourceful sisters to fend off renegades and protect an Army payroll.
Confederate soldier Ben Lassiter (Victor Mature) travels west with his young daughter, Abbey (Reba Waters), hoping to leave the Civil War behind him. Their journey becomes perilous when they encounter a pair of resilient sisters, Martha (Faith Domergue) and Beth Drury (Elaine Stewart). Together, the small group must navigate a dangerous landscape, surviving an attack from renegades and working to prevent the robbery of an Army payroll.
An intelligent and often overlooked Western, the film’s primary interest lies in its subtle revisionism. The script gives significant agency to its female characters, a departure from the genre’s more conventional depictions of women. This focus on strong heroines provides a counterpoint to the traditional masculine presence of star Victor Mature. The production, co-produced by John Wayne, is also notable for a behind-the-scenes irony: according to co-star Faith Domergue, the physically imposing Mature was so frightened of horses that he required assistance simply to mount his steed for a scene.
Production Co: United Artists / 75 mins / 1959
Director: Francis D. Lyon
Producer: Nate H. Edwards, Robert E. Morrison, John Wayne
Screenplay: Leo Gordon, Fred Hartsook, Steve Hayes
Cinematography: William H. Clothier
Music: Henry Vars
Main Cast: Victor Mature (Ben Lassiter), Faith Domergue (Martha Drury), Elaine Stewart (Beth Drury), Leo Gordon (Trooper Vogel), Noah Beery, Jr. (Lt. Jamison), Harry Carey, Jr. (Trooper Travis), Ken Curtis (Trooper Burch), Reba Waters (Abbey Lassiter), Slim Pickens (Corporal Wheeler)
