The second last of the A.C.Lyles westerns of the 1960s. Missing from the usual stock company were  Lon Chaney and Richard Arlen.

I was surprised to see Howard Keel in the lead. ( Howard played the lead in three of the Lyles westerns.)

Set near the end of the Civil War, Keel plays an ex- confederate soldier who comes to town to take over as Sheriff. As usual, the mayor (Brian Donlevy) wants law and order. Barton MacLane is the crooked sheriff who allows saloon owner Scott  Brady to run the town as he wants.

James Craig works for Brady.

John  Ireland is MacLane ‘s honest, one -armed deputy. He’s in love with shop owner Yvonne de Carlo.

Marilyn Maxwell has a small role as a saloon gal.

The plot involves two of the main characters identified as southern spies. But I lost interest. If you study the film’s poster above, it reveals too much!

Roy Rogers Jr. has one brief scene as a young man about to join the Union army. He did look like his father.

It was sad to see Brian Donlevy in only a couple of scenes. What a waste. Howard Keel didn’t seem a natural for non-musical westerns. His attempt at a southern accent was poor.

It was interesting to hear James Cagney doing the voiceover at the start of the film. He describes the situation whereby Confederate soldiers in military prisons could enlist in the Union army. They wouldnt be asked to fight in the South, but to settle and patrol the west, including bringing order to lawless towns. 

Arizona Bushwhackers was filmed back to back with the Lyles last western BUCKSKIN.

I still enjoy seeing all the familiar faces but I guess they were running out of ideas.

 

 

 

 

Scott  Brady, John Ireland,Barton MacLane ,Brian Donlevy.