a_chinn Based on a novel from the author of "Shane" and "Monte Walsh" comes a much less substantial of western, but an entertaining one none-the-less. Robert Wagner plays a young cowboy who's getting restless in his small town, so to keep him from becoming a no-good drifter the local stagecoach owner hires him as an armed guard for a large gold shipment. After the stagecoach is robbed, young hotheaded Wagner learns from the stagecoach driver (Dale Robertson) and from the sheriff (Rory Calhoun) there are two kinds of justice and he has to decide which one is right. In the hands of a director like George Stevens, this story had the potential to be something really smart, but instead it's merely a diverting western that will entertain fans of sagebrush tales.

dougdoepke Character-driven western whose guiding idea unfortunately is better than the result. Sheriff Tom, tough guy Race, and young man Jess, are friends in a small frontier town. Jess, however, wants a chance to prove himself a man, so he gets trial run as a stage driver. Trouble is he screws up by not driving off to protect doomed passengers when stage is ambushed at a way station. Instead he stays behind to help his friend Race. Now Jess needs to redeem himself by helping Sheriff Tom and posse track down stage robbers before vengeful Race guns them all down. Climax occurs in town when lynch mob gathers to head for Tom's jail.It's really Wagner's film. As the untried Jess, he shows his acting chops in a vivid performance still early in his lengthy career. Robertson (Race) and Calhoun (Tom) also get a lot of screen time as self-assured westerners. Oddly, they look so much alike, I got confused at times. The oater's unusual since no bad guy gets focal time, while the girls are strictly peripheral. Instead, the highlight is a well-photographed and lengthy chase scene across scenic rocks and hills. There's one unexpectedly jarring occurrence that I guess Hollywood convention couldn't let stand without smoothing out. Had they instead let it go extreme, the movie would be memorable. One key point, I wish Robertson's ambiguous character (Race) were more intense. That would have injected needed emotion to the movie as a whole There's a dramatic potential in the key conflict between Race and Tom that's unfortunately underplayed.All in all, it's an interesting western with an unusual plot and some riveting scenery, but drains too much story potential.

brown7511 The script is well written, handling clichés very well. The direction is brisk and orderly. The actors are very professional, even the God-awful Robert Wagner. Watching Dale Robertson I am surprised that he didn't become a bigger star: he is at ease in front of the camera, charming when it is called for, and very realistic in his delivery. Rory Calhoun was quite adequate for an undemanding role. This really seemed to be a vehicle for the young Wagner. I must admit I have only enjoyed him in one movie in his career and generally find him uninteresting and sub-par. Was Zanuck gay and in love with him? I will never understand Fox pushing him; but the 50's did bring on the teenage girls in the audience. I guess that was it. Overall, this movie is a little gem that deserves more recognition. I recommend it.

gordonl56 THE SILVER WHIP 1953This Twentieth Century Fox production stars Rory Calhoun, Dale Robertson and Robert Wagner. Wagner is a young buck who drives for a stage outfit. He always wanted to run a big 6 horse team but he is stuck on a milk run with a slow 2 mule team. He would do anything to get a chance at a main line job. The chance comes when the stage line's main shotgun rider, Dale Robertson asks the owner, James Millican to give Wagner a chance. Millican, against his better judgement, agrees. The stage will be hauling besides the passengers, a shipment of gold dust worth $27,000. An extra gun, Burt Mustin will be riding inside the stage for extra cargo protection. Needless to say, a gang of unsavoury types hear about the gold shipment. The 7 man gang, led by John Kellogg, ride ahead and grab up the crew from the stage way station. They then wait for the stage and the gold to show. The stage arrives and Robertson dismounts. He immediately senses that something is amiss at the station. Robertson tells Wagner to move the stage up the road while he looks around. The bandits now pop up and a firefight erupts. Wagner, instead of following orders to get the stage to safety, grabs up his Winchester and joins the battle. Lead flies with several of the bandits collecting an overdose of said metal. Wagner is pinked in the side and knocked off the stage. The other stage guard, Mustin is killed. While Robertson is busy unloading at the gang, several of them reach the wagon and lift the gold. They then chase off the stage. Wagner, by this time has recovered enough to hang onto the stage and stop it. He returns to the way station once the shooting stops. The gang, minus their dead, has escaped with the gold. Robertson is furious that Wagner did not move off when he was told to. Wagner answers that he thought he was doing the right thing by staying to fight. Robertson checks on the passengers. One of them, Lola Albright is a young lass Robertson is sweet on. Everyone on board is dead, including Albright. The telegraph is soon abuzz with details of the robbery and murder. Robertson mounts up and heads out in pursuit of the hold-up men. Wagner soon follows with a quickly assembled posse. They are soon joined by another posse led by Robertson's Sheriff pal, Rory Calhoun. They follow the trail coming across several dead men along the way. It seems that Robertson had found them first. His idea of justice is a quick bullet. The posse manages to catch one of the gang before Robertson can. When Robertson joins them, he wants to string up the man from the nearest tree. Calhoun however intends to take the man in for a fair trial. Robertson hands over $12,000 in gold retrieved from the gang members he killed. Robertson is still out for vengeance over the killing of Miss Albright. He continues of the trail while Calhoun, Wagner and the posse take in the prisoner. Wagner, who always looked up to Robertson, is amazed that the man can be as brutal and vicious as the gang they are pursuing. Wagner is fired by the stage line, but is hired by Calhoun to be a deputy. The Sheriff gets a tip from a local rancher about a man who sounds like Kellogg. Calhoun, Wagner and a posse are again hot on the trail. By the time the posse reaches the area, the man has been cornered by Robertson in some rocks. Kellogg fights to the last bullet before collecting a round in the leg. Robertson steps up and raises his rifle to finish the job. Sheriff Calhoun draws his pistol and stops Robertson from killing Kellogg. Kellogg is hauled back to town and tossed into a cell. Needless to say the townsfolk are in a foul mood over the murders. They feel that a lynching of Kellogg and the other gang member is called for. Calhoun and the other town Deputy, Harry Carter, are grabbed by the mob. This leaves only Wagner inside the jail house to watch Kellogg and company. The mob, led by Robertson, use axes to batter down the jail doors. Wagner slowly backs up telling Robertson that he will shoot if he does not stop. Robertson keeps stepping forward and Wagner fires. Robertson, badly wounded, goes down in a heap. Calhoun and the Deputy have now gotten loose of their ropes and show. The mob sheepishly disperses while Robertson is hauled off for some badly needed repairs. This is a pretty good western with excellent work from cast and crew. Robertson is particularly effective. I was surprised just how violent the film is. Look close and you can spot an unbilled Chuck (The Rifleman) Connors. I also noticed long time character player, Edmund Cobb. Cobb was on the big screen from 1912 till 1966. He appeared in close to 700 films and television episodes.Behind the camera, is Oscar winning editor, (GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT) turned director, Harmon Jones. Jones helmed a string of 50's b films before switching to television. These films include, GORILLA AT LARGE, DAY OF FURY, TARGET ZERO, PRINCESS OF THE NILE and THE PRIDE OF ST. LOUIS. Lloyd Ahern was the cinematographer. Ahern is best known for MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET.And to top everything off, is the fine script by Jesse Lasky Jr, working from the novel by Jack Schaefer. Lasky was a favourite of director Cecil B DeMille and wrote the screenplays for seven of DeMille's films. Schaefer is the man who wrote the novels, SHANE, MONTE WALSH and TRIBUTE TO A BAD MAN. All of which were turned into films.