Return of the Frontiersman
Cast & Crew
Richard Bare
Gordon Macrae
Julie London
Rory Calhoun
Jack Holt
Fred Clark
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
The men known as the Frontiersmen brought peace to the rowdy and violent old West, and one of the towns that benefitted from their efforts is Laramie, Wyoming. The town's sheriff, Sam Barrett, has little to do until one day, when a fight between his son Logan and Kearney breaks out in the saloon. Although Logan readily admits his guilt, Larrabee, who runs the local newspaper, explains that he was playing cards with Kearney, who accused him of cheating. When Kearney drew his gun on Larrabee, who never carries a gun, Logan shot Kearney's gun from his hand. After stating that Logan should have sent for him, Sam sends both his son and Kearney to jail for ten days. In jail, Kearney bitterly accuses Sam of giving Logan preferential treatment. When Kearney is released from jail, Sam refuses to let him have his gun. He then warns Logan to stay away from Kearney. Riding by Kearney's ranch on his way home, however, Logan hears gunshots and investigates. He is standing over Kearney's body when he is discovered by Ryan, one of Kearney's hands. Ryan does not believe Logan's story and insists that he turn himself in. Logan then knocks Ryan unconscious and rides after the mysterious gunman. When he comes to, Ryan tells Sam what happened. A skeptical Larrabee protests that Logan must have shot Kearney in self-defense, but Sam reveals the Kearney did not have his gun and forms a posse to go after Logan. On the trail, Logan encounters Janie Martin, the niece of local physician Dr. Martin. She informs Logan that an hour earlier, she saw a rider on a pinto horse, similar to the one he is riding. Logan is eventually captured by the posse, and Sam holds him for the marshal, so that he will not be accused of bias in Logan's favor. Larrabee then slips Logan a gun so that he can escape. Soon after Logan's escape, the bank is robbed and Zack, the banker, is shot by a man answering Logan's description. Unaware of the new charges against him, Logan, who was injured during his escape, sneaks into Martin's house and forces the doctor to remove the bullet in his shoulder. When he leaves, Logan takes Janie with him as a hostage. From Janie, Logan learns about the bank robbery. Then, on the way to Larrabee's, Janie and Logan witness a stagecoach robbery. When Janie sees that one of the men is dressed like Logan and rides a pinto horse, she realizes that Logan has been telling the truth and agrees to help him. They track the men to their campsite and, when one leaves the group to check on the horses, force him to accompany them. On the way back to town, the man is shot, and Logan is left without proof. After sending Janie back to her uncle, Logan rides to Larrabee's house. There, Logan tells Larrabee that he believes an outlaw realized that Laramie was vulnerable to criminals after many peaceful years. Larrabee sends one of his men to get Sam, and after admitting that he is the ringleader of the bandits, informs Logan that he intends to kill him and let him take the blame for the robberies. Logan catches Larrabee off guard, however, and the two men fight. Larrabee escapes, but the posse, which has arrived in the meantime, follows him to the gang's hideout. During the ensuing shootout, Sam and Logan fight side by side. After Logan's name is cleared, he calls on Janie, who admits that she likes him.
Director
Richard Bare
Cast
Gordon Macrae
Julie London
Rory Calhoun
Jack Holt
Fred Clark
Edwin Rand
Raymond Bond
John Doucette
Matt Mchugh
Britt Wood
Dan White
Harlan Briggs
Steve Pendleton
Richard Egan
Bobby Henshaw
Guy Wilkerson
Bill Sundholm
Ruth Warren
Doris Kemper
Crew
Edna Anhalt
G. W. Berntsen
David Buttolph
Charles H. Clarke
Saul Elkins
Stanley Jones
Frank Magee
Peverell Marley
Frank Mattison
Maurice De Packh
Morgan Padelford
Perc Westmore
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Hollywood Reporter news items report that Richard Bare replaced Ray Enright as director shortly before principal photography began, and that Alexis Smith was suspended by Warner Bros. when she refused the role of "Janie Martin."
