Burt Lancaster plays Elias Wakefield, a rugged frontiersman from Kentucky who feels his native state has become too civilized, so sets out for Texas with his young son in tow. Along the way, he picks up an indentured servant, a young woman whom he falls sorry for, and decides would be good company for them, though he also feels that she may weigh them down. Things get more complicated when he is hassled by a corrupt businessman(well played by Walter Matthau, in his film debut) who loves to use his whip, and also learns of a family feud that he finds himself in the middle of. Lancaster also directs, and does a fine job, giving a robust performance in this moderately interesting and exciting tale.
Review of The Kentuckian
