This is quite a suspenseful western story, filled with tension. Bad man Dan Marady ( James Millican ) and his gang of robbers, plan to rob a casino. First they holdup a stagecoach which draws the local sheriff and his posse into a wild goose chase. The trick is to leave the town defenseless so the gang can come back and rob the casino. At the start of the picture, Randolph Scott is riding shotgun on the stage but is lured away before the holdup by the opportunity to settle a score with Millican. But Scott is over powered by Pinto ( Charles Bronson ) one of Millican's men. Scott is tied up and left to die. By the time Scott is able to free himself and get to the town, he discovers the stage was robbed, the driver and his rider killed and a passenger wounded. Unfairly and ignorantly, the townsfolk assume Scott is one of the gang and everyone wants him lynched. Three people try to protect him, a Cantina owner lets him take refuge in his place of business. Deputy sheriff ( Wayne Morris ), an old friend of Scotts tries to calm done the mob, which wants to siege the Cantina. The daughter of the casino owner ( Joan Weldon ) has a romantic interest in him, and believes he's innocent and tries her best to help him. After being holdup in the Cantina for hours, the townsfolk cannot wait any longer and now, the suspense really builds to an exciting climax. I do not want to spoil the ending for the reader. I will say, this Andre De Toth directed, Warner colour, 75 minute story is an extremely fine western film. The pacing of the story is flawless. Randolph Scott is at his very best, and Charles Bronson excels in his villain role. All the characters that make up the townsfolk are excellent in each of their performances. This is another underrated western that never fails to entertain
Review of Riding Shotgun
