The Desperadoes

Randolph Scott and Glenn Ford are very young in this decent old Western

In 1863 Utah, a wanted gunman (Ford) meets a winsome woman that makes him want to go straight and settle down (Evelyn Keyes), but a murderous bank robbers false accusations get him into trouble with the law. Scott plays the sheriff of the town, Claire Trevor a hotel madam and Edgar Buchanan a duplicitous widower. Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams is also on hand as a dubious expert with Nitroglycerin.

"The Desperadoes" (1943) is worthwhile just to see Scott and, especially, Ford when they were younger. Theres also some spectacular Utah scenery in Technicolor and both Evelyn Keyes and Claire Trevor are pleasing to the eyes. Evelyn looks especially good in semi-tight b...

Though Randolph Scott takes top billing, I think it's Glenn Ford who takes the plaudits here in this ultimately rather predicable western. It starts off quite promisingly when the town of Red valley has it's bank robbed and suffers three citizens slaughtered. The bank's owner, "Clanton" (Porter Hall), magnanimously decides to pay out 50 cents on the dollar to those who lost out. In his back room, though, we realise that's a bit of an empty gesture as he and cheery stagecoach driver "Uncle Willie" (Edgar Buchanan) are part of a wheeze to pocket quite a lot of loot. Thing is, the robbery didn't quite go to plan and the gang employed are just a bit too local for comfort when sheriff "Upton" (the so-so Scott) starts to investigate. He is caught...