Law of the Lawless

Law of the Lawless is an okay film. Telling the story of a circuit judge who comes to a Kansas town to oversee a murder trial, only for the accused's father, who runs the town, to plot to ensure the judge does not convict his son by threatening his reputation. Sadly, there is not much action in this film, as this becomes more of a courtroom drama set in the wild west. While the actors do a good job, the pacing is very slow. Only recommended for true western fans.

A passable Lyles Western that gently eases its ageing cast through an intriguing plot . Paramount producer A.C. Lyles made several westerns with well known Hollywood stars in support roles . As producer Lyles financed thirteen westerns movies made in the mid-Sixties , all of them realized in short budget and with similar tarnished stars of the 40s and 50s .It is just one of many second feature Westerns produced by A.C. Lyles at Paramount in the 1960's . These Westerns were of certain interest when they were shown at the local cinemas as they always had many veteran actors in supporting roles . For example take a look at the credits for "Law of the Lawles¨ and you will watch quite an impressive cast for a second feature western!! . It deals with Clem Rogers (Dale Robertson) , known as "the Hanging Judge" has come to Stone Junction, Kansas in 1889 to preside over the murder trial of hothead Pete Stone (John Agar) who has been arrested for the murder of George Stapleton (Jody McCrea) , son of town ruler "Big Tom" Stone (Barton McLane) . Things are made more difficult and get worst when Rogers to be aware that Joe Rile (Bruce Cabot) , the gunslinger who murdered his deaceased dad , is working for Stone and is wanting to kill him . Later on , a hoodlum called Tim (Lon Chaney Jr) leaves the unconscious, beaten and half-dressed Ellie Irish (Yvonne De Carlo) in his hotel room. On the day of the trial the town slowly fills with strangers and the criminal court is presided by Rogers (Dale Robertson) , all in black and all hired to be filled the courtroom while the prosecutor is the sheriff/preacher Ed Tanner (William Bendix) and the tough defender is the expert lawyer Rand McDonald (Kent Taylor) . Along the way , Ellie Irish (Yvonne De Carlo) is proposed as a witness but she is discredited for his job as a Saloon girl . Stone Senior (Barton McLane) tells that everyone is related to Rogers has been hanged and defies Rogers to send his son to the gallows . The "Hanging Judge" had come to the moment of decision!

This is a pleasantly average actioner , but an acceptable Western with thrills , shootouts , typical scenes in the coutroom and violent confrontation near a hardware that is the highlight of the movie when the starring is attacked and taking place violent deaths . The film is well scripted - indeed this is the best screenplay of all Lyle's Westerns - and imaginatively directed by William F. Claxton , especially at the climax developed at the filled courtroom . It begins as a slow-moving Western but follows to surprise us with dark characters and decent plot . This short runtime tale is almost ordinary , a judge comes to a town just in time to make sure its citizenry but later the events get awry . Although made in low budget by the producer A.C. Lyles , it has its good moments here and there . The highlight has to be the fight between Dale Robertson , and deputy Rod Lauren against nasty bounty hunters and one of them is killed in cold blood .

Medium/low budget film produced by Lyles , a former publicist, who became a producer of Paramount B-westerns starring ageing Hollywood actors . Lyles produced a lot of Western in short or average budget such as ¨Black spurs¨(1965) , ¨Apache uprising¨(1966); ¨Johnny Reno¨ , ¨Waco¨ , ¨Red Tomahawk ¨and ¨Hostile guns¨(67) , among others ; many of them directed by R.G. Springsteen or Lesley Selander or William F Claxton . He was even awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6840 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California for his Westerns . As during the 1960s, he produced over a dozen low-budget Westerns starring former A-list actors including Dana Andrews and mature actresses , being usually played by the always sex-pot Jane Russell and Yvonne de Carlo as veteran Saloon women in their Forties . Of interest for star-watching only, as here shows up known secondaries in fact I always used to sit up and pay attention when the words "An A.C. Lyles Production" came up on the TV screen , this time with the appearance the following old glories : Yvonne De Carlo , William Bendix , Lon Chaney Jr. , Bruce Cabot , Barton MacLane , John Agar, Kent Taylor , Bill Williams, Richard Arlen, among others .

It contains a lousy cinematography in Techniscope by Lester Shorr and atmospheric musical score by Paul Dunlap . This horse opera was realized in low-budget by producer A.C. Lyles and distributed by Paramount Pictures and was middlingly directed by William F. Claxton . This filmmaker made several Westerns since the forties as Cinema as Television . He realized B Westerns as Stagecoach to Fury , The quiet gun , Tucson , Stagecoach to Thunder Rock , Young Jesse James and various Western TV series as Tales of Wells Fargo , The High Chaparral , Gunsmoke , Rifle man , Law of the Plainsman , Yancy Derringer , Bonanza , Rawhide , Black Saddle , among others . Rating : 6/10 .

Nothing special in this dusty western, belonging to the AC Lyles prod, specialized in the early sixties in recycling old timers on retirement, or not far, such as Richard Arlen , Bill Bendix, Yvonne de Carlo, Dale Robertson, Bruce Cabot and many other actors and actresses concerning other features of this kind. For die hard western fans only. It is cheap, lousy, even directed by good directors, who are not convinced at all by those predictable stories. Bill Claxton, Lesley Selander, RG Sprinsteen, were the main directors for thiese productions. Close to retirement directors too. Here, i have no strength to tell this already seen topic; this film made me half sleep. The only good point is that this movie is probably the best of all A C Lyles productions, maybe because of also being the first; the others will be more action oriented and the quality will also decline. They try to put some psychology here, more than anywhere else in AC Lyles films for Paramount. An excellent anti climax ending, that justifies the seven stars for rating.

This goes down as a unique and well crafted storyline. Hats off to legendary producer A.C. Lyles who brought together a wonderful cast. They were able to bring this story home.

Clem Rogers, known as "the Hanging Judge" was played by film and television great, Dale Robertson. He is asked to come to town to try Pete Stone for Murder. Now Pete (John Agar) is the son of "Big Tom Stone (Barton MacLane), who for the most part, owns the town.

Big Tom hires the man who killed the Judges father as a tool in his pocket. If he can get Judge Rogers to react and take revenge, he will be shown as nothing more then a hypocrite.

But that's not all Big Tom has in his pocket. He also plans to set the Judge up by discrediting him. He orders one of his men to beat up the girl Rogers has taken a liking to, (Ellie) played by the wonderful Yvonne De Carlo, and leave her unconscious, and half dressed in his Hotel room.

The in's and out's of the trial will leave you on the edge of your seat. This is a wonderful Western. I highly recommend it.

AG Liles made a series of low budget westerns at Paramount with a veteran cast. This is simply one of them. The cast includes: Dale Robertson ( Judge Clem Rogers: A former gunfighter turned Judge who no longer carries a gun), Yvonne DeCarlo ( Ellie Irish a saloon girl), John Agar (Pete Stone the heavy), his father Tom who is the most powerful man in town played by Barton MacLaine, William Bendix as ( Sheriff and Prosecutor Ed Tanner), and last but certainly not least Bruce Cabot. as hired gunman Joe Rile who killed Clem's father years ago. Cabot is the one to watch for. He hangs over the entire film very ominously.The story is about Stone who is accused of murder, his father who will do anything to not only get his son off, but ruin Rogers reputation, by having him seen with Ellie and hiring Rile to force Rogers into a gunfight, and Rogers who is also a friend of Stone's, and is the presiding judge in the trial. It is important to note that there is a most unexpected ending to the movie, but unlike far too many movies with one, it actually works with the theme of the film. For that reason, I will not spoil the ending. It is basically an excellent western 9/10 stars.