Alex da Silva It's a Western set in the 1870s that sees stranger-in-town Rod Cameron (John) buy a coconut from a shop and meet Lorna Gray (Julie Ann) and Ilona Massey (Lin). Sheriff George Cleveland (Sam) comes into the shop after hearing a gunshot. Cameron has shot into the coconut to get the milk and share it with the girls. He's a smooth operator. However, the sheriff recognizes Cameron as a wanted man and Cameron is forced to escape town. Whilst on the run, he bumps into fellow outlaw Forrest Tucker (Whit). Things aren't what they seem...It's an entertaining Western with a good cast and a buddy-buddy feel to it as we follow Cameron and Tucker Throw in some Indians at the climax and this film covers all bases. It has plenty of action, there is tension, the lead characters are appealing and you root for the bad guys. Well, I did. It's a shame that Massey gets 2 rubbish songs to sing. I like my Western saloon girl songs to be uptempo with a catchy tune. Not here, unfortunately.I can't wait to go to my local shop, ask for a coconut and try out my latest way of getting into the damn thing. I might buy some arms as well whilst I'm there and sell them to the enemy. Everyone seems to be up to those tricks in Westerns. And in real life, just check out what our Governments are STILL doing!

bkoganbing The Plunderers has Rod Cameron on detached duty pretending to be an outlaw. His mission is to get outlaw Forrest Tucker who's been causing such mayhem in the territory that the army has an interest in his capture, conviction, and execution.To establish his credentials with Tucker, a fake killing of sheriff George Cleveland is carried out and that does put him in solid with Tucker. It also puts him in solid with Tucker's girlfriend Lorna Gray and her companion Ilona Massey. By the way Massey looks completely lost in a western. Maybe Herbert J. Yates had Vera Hruba Ralston shooting another picture at Republic.There's a nicely staged Sioux attack as a climax where both Cameron and Tucker find out who's been selling rifles to the Sioux. Selling weaponry to the Indians is a cardinal sin in all western films.Yates put a bit more budget into this western than normal, possibly thinking that Cameron, Tucker or both might be a breakout star from the B westerns. Of course that never happened as it did with John Wayne. It should have had a better story with better drawn characters. Paul Fix for instance when we first meet him is a back shooting rat. For no apparent reason he becomes downright noble in the end.Not the best western Yates ever turned out of his horse opera factory.

alexandre michel liberman (tmwest) This film was very successful when released, one of the few by Republic in Trucolor. For the audience in 1948, it was good value for their money. Nice actors like Rod Cameron (Johnny) and Forrest Tucker(Whit), two pretty ladies Ilona Massey(Lin) and Adrian Booth (Julie Ann), a great sidekick Paul Fix (Calico). There are films where barely nothing happens, and films where too much happens, like this one, with shootouts, Indian attacks, the cavalry, galloping horses and a plot that goes in such a fast pace that it might not give you time to think about its implausibilities. The fake marriage of Johnny and Julie Ann makes no sense, also the shooting of the Sheriff by Johnny . The film goes too fast to absorb the sudden change in Whit's character from bad to good. James Edward Grant (story), Gerard Geraghty and Gerald Adams (screenplay) had many good films to their credit and they did a good job for the public of 1948, it just looks awkward in 2015! Ilona Massey is an interesting and charming presence, nice song she sings about Broadway. With the other lady, Adrian Booth, they add a lot to the film.

bux A tight script, decent dialogue, and good supporting cast, separate this one from the routine shoot 'em ups. Sort of a "buddy movie" with Cameron, the lawman and Tucker the outlaw, forced to set aside differences to avoid a sioux massacre. Fix, as one of the bad guys, delivers cynical wit throughout. They just don't make 'em like this anymore.