A bunch of rowdy teenagers come to a small western set on the Paramount lot and have the adults so intimidated that none of them has the courage to blow them into oblivion, or at least scare them out of town. Tough Preston Pierce is perhaps the reason because the father who abandoned him (Rory Calhoun) has just returned as well, reunited with the wife (Virginia Mayo) he abandoned, learning that she in turn abandoned her son who thinks she's dead. She's the saloon keeper, which in old western terms, means "madame", and Calhoun has been pursued by John Agar and his gang, much more dangerous than the 60's version of the Bowery Boys, which includes Jody McCrea.
Small parts in this silly western soaper are played by Lon Chaney Jr. And William Bendix (who died during filming), and they seem present just to get their union insurance benefits. Not really a challenge, but it's good for a campy laugh or two at its expense. Mayo doesn't really get to explain why she'd leave her kid in a believable way, basically looking like Ginger Rogers without the beauty mark. Calhoun looks far too young for her, and gives a more convincing performance too, with Mayo struggling during her big emotional scene. This is another of those cheaply made color A. C. Lyles westerns that desperately tried to get the young crowd in with this one, but most 60's kids probably weren't fooled by how phony it came off.
Small parts in this silly western soaper are played by Lon Chaney Jr. And William Bendix (who died during filming), and they seem present just to get their union insurance benefits. Not really a challenge, but it's good for a campy laugh or two at its expense. Mayo doesn't really get to explain why she'd leave her kid in a believable way, basically looking like Ginger Rogers without the beauty mark. Calhoun looks far too young for her, and gives a more convincing performance too, with Mayo struggling during her big emotional scene. This is another of those cheaply made color A. C. Lyles westerns that desperately tried to get the young crowd in with this one, but most 60's kids probably weren't fooled by how phony it came off.