It wasn't often that Universal placed one of its most successful matinee idols, Tony Curtis, in western fare. At the beginning of his long tenure with the studio, he would occasionally get cast in minor supporting roles in Audie Murphy westerns. But after Curtis had become a full-fledged box office draw, Universal execs typically featured him in fluffy romantic comedies, campy action adventure tales and soft-edged noir.
Simply put, Curtis was not rugged enough, and the execs realized this, to sustain a career playing tough western leads. And in fact, in this production helmed by Rudolph Mate, the emphasis is on light western action. A sequence in which Curtis' character switches from riverboat gambler to cowboy and gives the film its title- is one of the story's shortest sequences. To see Curtis doing a whole movie on horseback in cowboy mode would not have cut it with audiences or critics.
As is customary with Tony Curtis' style, we get a rascally character whose days as a cardsharp are scuttled when his riverboat is overrun with cutthroats and he's separated from the lovely young lady (Colleen Miller) he'd intended to marry. Not only is the boat damaged, but Curtis is blamed for a murder he didn't commit. This leads to his heading out west to earn money with plans to clear his name and reclaim his gal. Why he couldn't find a way to earn money without becoming a cowboy is not fully detailed.
While he's working out west, he meets up with a man he mistakes for a bandit (Arthur Kennedy, who had already played a good-bad type in Universal's BEND OF THE RIVER). After their initial misunderstanding is resolved, Curtis and Kennedy become pals and help each other out of various scrapes. However, Curtis is still intent on going back to set things right with Miller and end his days as a fugitive.
Meanwhile Miller has found herself working in a saloon. She entertains the menfolk with some nice songs (one tune written by Peggy Lee). More significantly, Miller has become romantically involved with a villainous proprietor (Peter van Eyck) whom Curtis will need to save her from, if they are to be reunited and enjoy any sort of happily ever after. There is a violent altercation between Curtis and Van Eyck.
Most of what we see on screen is rousing entertainment. There are frequent bursts of action, and though Curtis seems to be in the wrong genre, some of the shortcomings can be overlooked by his energetic performance. As with all Mate westerns, there is plenty of conflict and a never ending supply of plot twists to keep the viewer engaged.
Incidentally, this would be the final motion picture of William Gargan who plays the marshal. At the time Gargan was starring in a hit detective series on television. He would be diagnosed with throat cancer soon afterward and temporarily lose his ability to speak, which halted his acting career. Though Gargan eventually regained his speech through therapy and lived another twenty years, the experience changed his life; he switched careers and began to work for the American Cancer Society.
Simply put, Curtis was not rugged enough, and the execs realized this, to sustain a career playing tough western leads. And in fact, in this production helmed by Rudolph Mate, the emphasis is on light western action. A sequence in which Curtis' character switches from riverboat gambler to cowboy and gives the film its title- is one of the story's shortest sequences. To see Curtis doing a whole movie on horseback in cowboy mode would not have cut it with audiences or critics.
As is customary with Tony Curtis' style, we get a rascally character whose days as a cardsharp are scuttled when his riverboat is overrun with cutthroats and he's separated from the lovely young lady (Colleen Miller) he'd intended to marry. Not only is the boat damaged, but Curtis is blamed for a murder he didn't commit. This leads to his heading out west to earn money with plans to clear his name and reclaim his gal. Why he couldn't find a way to earn money without becoming a cowboy is not fully detailed.
While he's working out west, he meets up with a man he mistakes for a bandit (Arthur Kennedy, who had already played a good-bad type in Universal's BEND OF THE RIVER). After their initial misunderstanding is resolved, Curtis and Kennedy become pals and help each other out of various scrapes. However, Curtis is still intent on going back to set things right with Miller and end his days as a fugitive.
Meanwhile Miller has found herself working in a saloon. She entertains the menfolk with some nice songs (one tune written by Peggy Lee). More significantly, Miller has become romantically involved with a villainous proprietor (Peter van Eyck) whom Curtis will need to save her from, if they are to be reunited and enjoy any sort of happily ever after. There is a violent altercation between Curtis and Van Eyck.
Most of what we see on screen is rousing entertainment. There are frequent bursts of action, and though Curtis seems to be in the wrong genre, some of the shortcomings can be overlooked by his energetic performance. As with all Mate westerns, there is plenty of conflict and a never ending supply of plot twists to keep the viewer engaged.
Incidentally, this would be the final motion picture of William Gargan who plays the marshal. At the time Gargan was starring in a hit detective series on television. He would be diagnosed with throat cancer soon afterward and temporarily lose his ability to speak, which halted his acting career. Though Gargan eventually regained his speech through therapy and lived another twenty years, the experience changed his life; he switched careers and began to work for the American Cancer Society.