zardoz-13 Review of Cutter's Trail

Cutter's Trail (1970 TV Movie)

Predictable But Entertaining Made-for-TV Horse Opera

[5/10 · 11 July 2014]

"Psycho" star John Gavin gives another wooden performance as a heroic lawman in "Last Day" director Vincent McEveety's predictable but entertaining "Cutter's Trail." Marshall Ben Cutter (John Gavin) sheds his badge to ride cross the border and arrest a sadistic outlaw, Alex Bowen (Victor French of "Charro"), who devastated the town of Santa Fe where he has an office. Bowen attacked Cutter's town because Cutter helped the cavalry capture his brother Kyle Bowen (Robert Random) for attacking a cavalry escort. Kyle is hanged by cavalry authorities for killing three soldiers during a robbery. Special guest star Joseph Cotton delivers the sentence of the court, and Kyle drops through the trap door. Before he dies, Kyle warns Cutter that his brother Alex will hound him to death. After Alex Bowen raids Santa Fe, he heads back to Mexico with his army of gunslingers. Cutter enters Mexico and befriends a young Mexican boy, Paco Avila (Manuel Padilla Jr., of "American Graffiti"), and his mother Angelita Avila (Marisa Pavan). The first thing that our clean-shaven hero does is kill the Mexican gunman, Santillo (Nehemiah Persoff of "The Comancheros"), in a duel. Afterward, Paco treats Cutter as if he were a messiah figure. Eventually, Cutter prepares a reception for Alex and his gunslingers that includes concealing dynamite in various places. When Bowen and his killers arrive in the little Mexican village, Cutter starts blasting away, blowing up some of Alex's gunmen. Bowen and Cutter shoot it out. Predictably, Bowen dies with one of Cutter's bullets in him. "Cutter's Trail" is a polished, splendidly lensed, and stalwart cast. John Gavin looks perfect for the role, and he wears his Stetson and his gun belt well enough to be convincing. Manuel Padilla Jr. plays a child along the same lines that Brandon De Wilde did in "Shane." Victor French isn't as sleazy as he was opposite Elvis Presley in "Charro." Beverly Garland is featured briefly at the beginning and the end; she operates a freight company in Santa Fe. Shug Fisher is her tireless worker. The ending is a little too good to be true. During the finale in the Mexican town, Paco's mother takes a bullet and dies. After Cutter has cleaned out the village of outlaws, he rides off with Paco in hot pursuit on foot, crying his name out until our hero turns around and takes him home. John Mantley, who produced the show, produced "Gunsmoke." Several veteran western actors pepper the cast, including Gregg Palmer, Roy Jenson, Pepe Callahan, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., J. Carrol Naish, and Mills Watson.