After being caught trying to rob a bank, a cowboy by the name of "Daniel Slade Hardy" (Hugh O'Brien) is shocked by the lengthy prison sentence he receives after refusing to testify against his colleagues. Even so, at the very least, he expects them to look after his pregnant wife and young daughter while he is serving time. His attitude changes, however, when he learns that his wife was recently visited by his former cellmate "Felix Griffin" (Robert Evans) who may have caused her to miscarry due to his strange behavior with her. That said, determined to get even with him, Nick strikes a deal with "Marshall Frank Emmett" (Stephen McNally) and "Judge Parker" (Edward Andrews) to gather evidence on some recent murders that may have been committed by Felix in exchange for a full pardon. What he doesn't count on, however, is just how wily his psychotic cellmate has become. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, by sheer coincidence, I happened to watch the 1947 movie "Kiss of Death" a couple of days earlier, and I was surprised at how similar the plot was to this picture. Sure enough, this is basically a remake of that film, but with a Western setting instead. As far as the acting is concerned, although I preferred the earlier version with Victor Mature as the main star, I must admit that I thought the ending was somewhat better. But that is just my opinion. In any case, while possibly not as good as its predecessor, this was still an enjoyable film, for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.
