Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Randolph Scott | ... | Chris Danning | |
Marguerite Chapman | ... | Kate Hardison | |
George Macready | ... | Younger Miles | |
Sally Eilers | ... | Della Harms | |
Edgar Buchanan | ... | Sheriff O'Hea | |
Barbara Read | ... | Abbie Miles (as Barbara Reed) | |
Wallace Ford | ... | Andy West | |
Forrest Tucker | ... | Ernie Combs | |
William Bishop | ... | Leach Conover | |
Joe Sawyer | ... | Frank Yordy | |
Russell Simpson | ... | Walt Hardison | |
Douglas Fowley | ... | Stew Shallis | |
Lee Bennett | ... | Tip Henry | |
Forrest Taylor | ... | McCune | |
Phil Schumacher | ... | Bill Arnold |
With the help of Kate Hardison (Marguerite Chapman), the Coroner Creek hotel keeper, Chris Danning (Randolph Scott) learns that Younger Miles (George Macready) is the man who killed his fiancée. Chris is hired by rancher Della Harms (Sally Eilers) as her foreman, and plots his revenge against Miles. But one of the latter's henchmen cripples Chris' trigger-hand. Written by Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
Stalwart western hero Randolph Scott is at his stalwart best in "Coroner Creek" - and it wasn't directed by the overrated Budd Boetticher. Scott is a man of action as he attempts to avenge the killing of his fiancée at the hands of George MacReady in one of his most villainous roles. As mentioned, the emphasis is on action; the exasperating Boetticher often put one of Hollywood's best cowboy stars in complex psychological situations while forgoing Scott's long suit.
In "Coroner Creek", Scott is surrounded by three women who manage to slow down the story by their presence; Marguerite Chapman as a moralizing hotel owner, Sally Eilers as a widowed ranch owner, and Barbara Read as Macready's dipso wife. But the storyline is so good that you can overlook these interruptions and await his next confrontation with baddies. There are gunfights and fistfights enough to satisfy the most avid action fan, including a left-handed fist fight with Forrest Tucker (you'll have to watch it for more info). I liked this one enough to rate it an eight.