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The Badge of Marshal Brennan is a "B" western starring Jim Davis who later gained fame as the Ewing patriarch in Dallas. Davis was an imposing gentleman with a rugged face and a deep commanding voice. He played villains in "A" westerns and heroes in "B" westerns. In The Badge of Marshal Brennan he plays "The Stranger", a man on the run, who comes across a dying marshal. After the marshal dies, he buries the body and takes the badge. At the next town, he is mistaken for the dead marshal. The town had sent for Marshal Brennan because of an epidemic, outlaws and panic. The Stranger sees it as a chance to hide from his pursuers. What he doesn't realize is that by taking on the badge of Marshal Brennan, he takes on the responsibilities of the dead marshal.

It is an excellent movie, one I remember well, even after many years. Davis, as always, give a strong performance as a man who has to look inside himself and finds much more there than he thought. It has mystical overtones that are interesting but do not interfere with its tough "B" western quality.

If it ever comes out on DVD, I would strongly recommend it to any western fan.

Just watched on Netflex streaming another Jim Davis western. In this one, he's Jeff Harlan who's on the run when he encounters Marshal Matt Brennan (Douglas Fowley) dying in the desert. He then takes his identity and ends up helping the nearest town doctor (Harry Lauter) as he tries to stop some infected cattle from leaving the premises as he tries to find the antidote for the people affected. But the Donaphins (Louis Jean Heydt and Lee Van Cleef as father and son, respectively) are intent to push their cattle across the river so of course a fight is inevitable...This was quite a big role for Davis as he's top-billed for the first time here and has the lion's share of scenes. And this was also the first time I've seen him have some romance in his old movies with Arleen Whelan as Murdock providing such an alluring presence. Also interesting seeing country music stars Carl Smith as the sheriff and Marty Robbins as Felipe. The fender guitar music by Ramey Idriss was also a cool accompaniment to the score and I also liked the unique directorial touches of Albert C. Gannaway like Van Cleef throwing that vial of blood on the camera lens or that shadow of Davis when he mentions about not running away from it. So on that note, I highly recommend The Badge of Marshal Brennan.

I noticed this movie tonight when I had trouble sleeping, listed on "Movieplex"for 2:15 a.m.. The cable guide gave it 2 stars (out of four possible), so I gave it a shot.

I just could not believe how horrible the dialogue, score, and much of the acting was. Jim Davis and Lee Van Cleef (both very young in this) are, quite naturally, solid in their performances. The rest, however, are questionable at best in their abilities.

Also, the "Indian" is just comes off as he is.....a white guy with heavy make-up playing an Indian. And the "hispanic", "Fillipe", comes off as a white guy trying to play a hispanic with a labored accent that comes and goes.

The music behind the film was usually inappropriate to the scene (dramatic scenes should have dramatic music) and should not be as overbearing as this score is.

All of these factors make the entire film rather comic, instead of dramatic. And as most people know, there's nothing better sometimes than sitting up at 3 a.m. laughing at a hacked-up, third-rate movie that tries to be serious.

I gave this pictures 2 stars because I thought the story was promising and could've really been something. Unfortunately, they never really flesh out the plot and there's no real depth behind the characters. For whatever reason, they seem to rush into the action without letting the story build into it.

Country&Western performers Carl Smith and Marty Robbins are featured in this fine no frills western from Allied Artists. The Badge Of Marshal Brennan really could have used a nice A budget from a big studio and some name stars. As it is Jim Davis, Arleen Whelan, and Lee Van Cleef do just fine in their parts. I could have James Stewart in the lead had this been an A film.

Outlaw on the run Davis leaves a pursuing posse behind as he goes into the desert where they don't want to chase him. He meets a dying marshal played by Douglas Fowley and assumes his identity which stands him in good stead when he gets across the desert and into a town where the local Ponderosa is run by Louis Jean Heydt and his homicidal son Lee Van Cleef.

They've got a real problem, black spot fever, second cousin to typhus as Dr. Harry Lauter puts it. The cattle ought to be destroyed, but Heydt and Van Cleef would sooner lynch the marshal and save their diseased cattle and profits.

When Davis breaks up said lynching he becomes involved with the town and its problem of standing up to Heydt who is not used to people telling him no. He also becomes Lauter's rival for Arleen Whelan who runs the local café.

I think you can see where this is all going. I might have changed the ending, but even with the climax it has The Badge Of Marshal Brennan is a fine feature with a plot that's a cross between Shane and The Left Hand Of God. It really deserved a bigger budget.

Jim Davis, later of DALLAS fame, is a gunslinger in this hokey back yard western who assumes the identity of a recently deceased federal marshall when he runs into a town being run by bad guys. He quickly straightens things out and proceeds to move on, but things keep happening to keep him in town. There actually is a plot: the only rancher of any consequence in the area has badly infected cattle, and will kill anyone who tries to interfere. The town doctor stands up to the rancher and Davis and the local sheriff back up the doctor. A young Lee Van Cleef is the ranch owner's sadistic son. The action is intermittent at best and poorly staged, the soundtrack would have better been left without music, and most of the cowboys are clean-shaven and neatly attired in that 1950s Roy Rogers style.