Badlands of Montana

Veteran character actor Emile Meyer stands out in this better than average B Western. He is ably supported by Rex Reason and Beverly Garland.

The plot in this film has much more depth than in the standard B flick. Local citizen Rex Reason is whipped and forced to flee the town of Cascade after killing his assailant in a fair fight. In his escape he blunders into the hideout of a bandit gang led by Meyer. Reason falls in love with Beverly Garland, who plays Meyer's daughter. "She's not one of us", Meyer says as the bandits vote to decide whether Reason will die or become one of them. Meyer casts his vote for Reason who becomes one of the gang. Later, Reason is captured in a bank holdup. He is given a choice between going to jail and returning to Cascade as sheriff. It seems that the wife of the man he killed has turned the town into a haven for outlaws. He returns to town and cleans it up in about 5 minutes. Outlaw Meyer is brought to jail by some soldiers. Reason quits his job, gives Meyer the keys and returns to the bandit camp for his lost love. This all sets up the final showdown which turns out pretty much like you'd expect in a B Western.

I enjoyed this film and would highly recommend it. My only problem with this film is that there was more potential in the story than was possible to develop on a B movie budget. As a result, some of the plot elements receive short shrift. Reason's cleaning up of Cascade is a good example. However, Meyer's portrayal of the bandit leader more than compensates for the film's shortcomings. He is very credible in this role.

Wanting to follow in his late father's footsteps, eager reformer Steve Brewster runs for mayor of a small Montana town but is forced to flee and join a gang of notorious outlaws after he's provoked into killing two corrupt officials in self-defense. Gang leader Hammer takes Steve in, and Steve falls for his daughter, Susan, but his loyalties are divided when he's appointed marshal of his hometown.

And just when I thought that Badlands of Montana, a 1957 B-western, would be just average I got a pleasant surprise and I found it interesting, especially how the town folk of Cascade treats the hero - a candidate for Mayorship - with malice and sheer hatred ( even the whipping he gets is intense and the man who commanded the whipping takes a thrill out of it), and the plot is quite involving and there's a sense of clarity to the story. It's well-acted by all, but Emile Meyer steals the scene as a thoughtful outlaw leader. A big contrast to the hothead gang member played by Keith Larsen. As for Rex Reason, he does great as a leading man and has matinee like credentials -pity he didn't make it big. Marcia Dean is sultry as the villainess. Beverley Garland emoted well. Liked how the plot twisted away from "innocent man turns into an outlaw" story and into a "lawman" story.