Pernell Roberts

A U.S. marshal sets out to bring in a Mexican bandit accused of killing his girlfriend's father, but it turns out that there's more to the story than there first appears to be.

A bounty hunter escorts a killer to be tried for murder, with the killer's brother after them. A wanted murderer, Billy John (James Best), is captured by Ben Brigade (Randolph Scott), a bounty hunter, who intends to take him to Santa Cruz to be hanged. Brigade stops at a staging post, where he saves the manager's wife (Karen Steele) from an Indian attack, and enlists the help of two outlaws (Pernell Roberts, James Coburn) to continue his journey more safely. However, the Indian attacks persist, the outlaws plan to take Billy for themselves, tempted by the offer of amnesty for his captor, and Billy's brother Frank (Lee Van Cleef) is in hot pursuit to rescue him. But Brigade has plans of his own.. —David Levene <D.S.Levene@durham.ac.uk>

Desperation and secret passions on a family farm lead to tragedy. Ephraim Cabot is an old man of amazing vitality who loves his New England farm with a greedy passion. Hating him, and sharing his greed, are the sons of two wives Cabot has overworked into early graves. Most bitter is Eben, whose mother had owned most of the farm, and who feels who should be sole heir. When the old man brings home a new wife, Anna, she becomes a fierce contender to inherit the farm. Two of the sons leave when Eben gives them the fare in return for their shares of the farm. Meanwhile, Anna tries to cause some sparks by rubbing up against Eben. —Ray Hamel <hamel@primate.wisc.edu>