This was a pleasant surprise. It was made in 1969, the last year that Presley made movies. It is the only movie of his 31 where his character does not sing. Despite this, Presley is able to carry the movie on his acting ability. He is not quite as cool as Eastwood or Wayne at their best, but he does deliver a solid and reasonably intense performance.
The first half of the movie is fine as it sets up a confrontation between ex-outlaw Jess Wade (Presley) and the gang that he rode with. Vince (Victor French) the head of the gang is vicious, especially to his own gang members, but he does care about protecting his idiot brother , Billy Roy (Solomon Sturges) so he is at least a two note character.
In the second part of the movie, believability falls apart with the outlaws using a single cannon to threaten to blow up a town. Since artillery range for a cannon at that time was only about a mile, one wonders why the townspeople cannot just figure out which direction the cannon shots are coming from, ride one mile in that direction and arrest the outlaws. By this time outlaw Presley has been made sheriff of the town (apparently, a criminal history did not disqualify him on the job application). For some inexplicable reason, he chooses to hold Billy Ray prisoner for shooting the previous sheriff, but does not arrest his brother, gang leader Vince, for kidnapping, torture, and blowing up half the town, among other felony crimes. Jess might have thought to study some legal books before becoming sheriff.
In the second half, the movie loses its lyrical quality and resembles an average ho-hum episode of "Gunsmoke" or "Bonanza." What this proves is that Presley had the ability to make quality movies, but he was not good in selecting his material. Still, for Western fans, it is reasonably entertaining, a grade "C" entertainment, made into a "B" one by Presley.
The first half of the movie is fine as it sets up a confrontation between ex-outlaw Jess Wade (Presley) and the gang that he rode with. Vince (Victor French) the head of the gang is vicious, especially to his own gang members, but he does care about protecting his idiot brother , Billy Roy (Solomon Sturges) so he is at least a two note character.
In the second part of the movie, believability falls apart with the outlaws using a single cannon to threaten to blow up a town. Since artillery range for a cannon at that time was only about a mile, one wonders why the townspeople cannot just figure out which direction the cannon shots are coming from, ride one mile in that direction and arrest the outlaws. By this time outlaw Presley has been made sheriff of the town (apparently, a criminal history did not disqualify him on the job application). For some inexplicable reason, he chooses to hold Billy Ray prisoner for shooting the previous sheriff, but does not arrest his brother, gang leader Vince, for kidnapping, torture, and blowing up half the town, among other felony crimes. Jess might have thought to study some legal books before becoming sheriff.
In the second half, the movie loses its lyrical quality and resembles an average ho-hum episode of "Gunsmoke" or "Bonanza." What this proves is that Presley had the ability to make quality movies, but he was not good in selecting his material. Still, for Western fans, it is reasonably entertaining, a grade "C" entertainment, made into a "B" one by Presley.