Cahill U.S. Marshal

JD Cahill is a tough US Marshal working in Texas; he is also the widowed father of two boys; Danny and Billy. His job keeps him away from home and his boys leading to them rebelling. Danny ends up in the town jail with a bunch of ne'er-do-wells then Billy lights a fire to distract the sheriff before helping Danny and the gang escape to rob the bank before returning to jail for the perfect alibi... not everything goes to plan though; the sheriff and a deputy are killed and Fraser, the gang leader, threatens to kill the boys if either talks or if Billy doesn't keep the money hidden for them. When JD gets back he takes the lead in the search for the robbers; this includes deputising Danny. The pair of them head off and team up with Lightfoot, a half-Indian tracker. They quickly make arrests and Danny starts to feel guilty... something that JD notices. Will he be able to clear these men, arrest Fraser and his gang without condemning his boys?

This isn't up there with Wayne's best westerns but it is still pretty good. John Wayne is convincing as a tough marshal even though he was in his sixties by the time this was made. The story was enjoyable even if the final outcome wasn't in too much doubt... it is a traditional western after all. The moral of the story; that children need parental guidance and that one must face up to ones actions is solid enough if perhaps a little heavily handled at times. The locations used add a lot to the film; making a change from all the lower budget westerns that were clearly filmed in the same area of Southern California. The cast is solid enough; as well as Wayne we get notable performances from Neville Brand as Lightfoot, even if the idea of having a white actor playing a half-Indian is awkward for modern viewers; and George Kennedy is suitably menacing as Fraser. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of the genre, especially if you like John Wayne; not a classic but still a decent enough film.