bkoganbing In Hell Bent For Leather Audie Murphy has the misfortune of running into Jan Merlin on the trail who robs him of his horse. Merlin is a man on the run and known to carry a distinctive shotgun as his weapon of choice. Murphy wounds Merlin fleeing and Merlin drops said shotgun with some fancy carving on the stock.Which is enough to give the townspeople the idea he's Merlin. That's further reinforced by Stephen McNally who represents the law on Merlin's trail.But McNally is tired of chasing Merlin. Since he is the only one who really knows Merlin and he's tired of chasing him, McNally is willing to take credit using Murphy, preferably dead and get credit for stopping the outlaw killer.Hell Bent For Leather is a lot like another classic western where McNally is the pursued instead of the pursuer Winchester 73. This film is tightly edited and the tale well told, not a minute of footage is wasted. Note also good performances from Felicia Farr as the woman who by circumstance becomes Murphy's hostage and then ally. And another from Robert Middleton as an old outlaw, not the most noble of characters but one with his own ethics.This one is a must for Audie Murphy's fans.

PamelaShort This is a satisfactory western with an interesting plot. Audie Murphy plays a man wrongly accused of murder, and must run for his life from a antagonistic Marshall. He wants the glory and recognition for the capture of an outlaw he has been hunting for, he knows Murphy is innocent but he does not care, because his posse doesn't know the difference, so he decides killing the innocent Murphy will make him a respected hero. Murphy is on the run with a woman, actress Felicia Farr and the two have a very harrowing time keeping ahead of their pursuers. This story is well executed, and the action is nonstop until the end. Stephen McNally, Robert Middleton, James Westmoreland, and veteran actor Bob Steele all give adequate performances in this vigorous and picturesque film. A must see for fans of Audie Murphy and western movie devotees.

Robert J. Maxwell It's all here in this inexpensive Western from Universal Studios. Audie Murphy as the fresh-faced hero mistaken for a ruthless shotgun killer. Felicia Farr as the misunderstood local woman swept up in his escape. Stephen McNally as the crooked Marshall consumed by self aggrandizement. The angry townsfolk seeking revenge. The buckboard bouncing in a frenzy along the rough roads, pursued by the galloping posse. The pause at the empty cabin during a rainstorm so Murphy and Farr can exchange a few understanding words before falling in love. But, come to think of it, there are no fast draws and no clips on the jaw that render anyone unconscious for as long as the plot requires. Maybe it ISN'T all here.But Mount Whitney is here, or at least nearby. Most of the movie was shot at Movie Flats, near Lone Pine, California, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. You'll probably recognize the location. It's been used in a hundred movies. I was there a few years ago and can swear to it that I found some pieces of welding left over from "Gunga Din" (1939), although it must be said that I lie constantly.Felicia Farr is a pleasant and attractive woman, Jack Lemon's wife. She never had a major career. Perhaps her talent was modest or maybe she just didn't get the challenging parts. I wonder how she'd have done if she'd tackled Blanche DuBois.More often than not, Audie Murphy was a little embarrassing. His range was so limited. It's painful here watching him struggling to project an emotion like fear, as if in a high school play in Cedar City, Utah. He STILL looks innocent here, fifteen years after the end of the war from which he emerged with more decorations than any other soldier -- and he earned them too. When a role was within his range and when he had the right director, he could be entirely convincing, but that only happened once that I know of -- in John Huston's "The Red Badge of Courage." This isn't a bad movie. It's mediocre in almost every respect, helped by a couple of accomplished actors in smaller roles. Well, I'll give an example of something that keeps the film from being aimed at a more sophisticated or mature audience. Throughout, Felicia Farr is glamorously made up. It doesn't matter -- rain or shine, night or day -- he false eyelashes are flawless and her no-smear lipstick a perfection in scarlet. Couldn't they have mussed her up a little? After all, she has to hoof it for dozens of miles across the mountains and deserts.

dbdumonteil The most decorated combat soldier of the war,Audie Murphy, plays the part of a man,falsely accused of being a gangster by a marshal .This embittered cop has been searching for the true culprit for months and he needs to find one ,his claim to fame.Stephen Mc Nally is the stand out ,the audience realizes little by little he has gone completely nuts ,heading the posse on his victim's trail.The girl the horse-trader meets (Felicia Farr,better known for her part in " kiss me ,stupid" )and who takes up his cause is some kind of outcast for her father was not a good man .She was taken in by neighbors but she has not really been received at the community :she takes care of the children when the inhabitants attend the service.This is a modest but entertaining western with good suspense and a great finale when the wrong and the right man meet in the mountain.