Robert Knapp

Walter Coy

Paul Birch

Don C. Harvey

Clarence Straight

Jered Barclay

Ron Hayes

Charles Horvath

Jean Moorhead

Maureen Hingert

Harry Antrim

John Barton

Arthur Berkeley

Don Blackman

Chet Brandenburg

X Brands

Joseph Breen

John Cason

Heinie Conklin

Richard Elmore

Martín Garralaga

Herman Hack

Bill Hale

Chester Hayes

Foster Hood

George Huggins

Kermit Maynard

Hank Patterson

Gil Perkins

John Quijada

Al Silvani

Cap Somers

Larry Thor

Jack Tornek

Dan White

Wallace MacDonald

Clarke Reynolds

Irving Lippman

Al Clark

Carl Anderson

Alfred E. Spencer

Western

Gunmen from Laredo

Columbia Pictures

United States of America

And the devil wind will come.

Gunmen from Laredo is directed by Wallace MacDonald and written by Clark E. Reynolds. It stars Robert Knapp, Jana Davi, Walter Coy, Paul Birch and Don C. Harvey. 

Out to avenge the murder of his wife and friend, Gil Reardon (Knapp) hurries into Laredo to confront the culprits. Forced to draw on one of the thugs, Gil is set up for murder and sent to prison. Escaping, he meets up with a Mescalero woman who aids him on is journey through the wilderness. If they can survive the terrain and Indian attacks? Then Gil is heading back to Laredo to clear his name and get his revenge.

Straight from the bottom rung of the “B” Western ladder, is this Columbia offering filmed in Columbia Color no less! It’s a poor effort, a basic case of film makers stringing a number of scenes together to pad out a movie. The acting is poor, the set design around the town of Laredo is hardly convincing, while the location photography around Bronson Canyon is decidedly flat.

However, I find myself in the unusual situation of having watched a bad Western yet feel the need to grudgingly admire it! MacDonald and Reynolds cram all they can into their picture. Shoot-outs, prison escape, chases, fist fights, sandstorm and a smouldering romance in waiting. The choreography isn’t up to much, mind, but the sheer gusto and willingness to entertain is to be applauded.

It’s the sort of Oater that Dad can plonk the kids in front of the TV and know they will have fun and be occupied, while he sits in his armchair relaxing with a glass of wine. 4/10

English