That was Jack Buetel 's first part since the infamous "outlaw" and he is a bit too old for the part of an ingenuous young man in love with star Claire Trevor.Robert Ryan portrays a good man,generous and loyal ,who wants to give a second chance to renegades ,but he thwarts a hateful corrupt detective 's plans,is arrested and sentenced to death after a travesty of a trial:his enemy's wife ,who hates her husband ,helps him to escape and he becomes an outlaw,joining the men he wanted to rehabilitate.This is an action-packed western ,with chases,treason and a love affair,short and compact:there's never a dull moment. The badmen did really their best.

I saw "Best of the Badmen" when I was nine years old, loved it could not stop talking about it for weeks. curious that it was b&w probably they were trying to cut costs by making part of the copies in a less expensive way. Few actors were as good as Robert Ryan, specially in westerns, and his presence is what most counts here. Same goes for Claire Trevor. I was a bit deceived with the James brothers, they are kind of insipid in the film, after seeing so many films about them and the Youngers we got spoiled and expect for a bit more of their character to be shown. Funny that Cole Younger acts as their leader (in the film), I don't think they would have accepted that. The story is pretty routine stuff, but that is exactly the charm of the westerns of the fifties. Tremendous difference between the Jack Buetel of "The Outlaw" and the "nice" Younger that he plays here. I greatly enjoyed seeing this western after so many years, it remains very good. (and in color)

This is a story written about the West and some of the more famous individuals who really participated in it's inception. For many in the audience, this movie star's Robert Ryan and the great and magnetic presence he brings to the silver screen. The story is called " Best of the Bad men. " Proportedly it is set in the 1860's shortly after the Civil War. The last of the rebel hold outs have been captured by Major Jefferson Clanton (Robert Ryan) and the Union army and offered the oath of Alligence to the United States. This does not sit well with the carpetbaggers who believe the Rebels should be tried and hanged. Robert Preston is Matthew Fowler a greedy, mob-stirring businessman who is out to crucify Clanton for denying him his bounty on the former bad men. Walter Brennan, Bruce Cabot and Jack Buetel make for a formidable bunch as the beginnings of the infamous James and Younger gangs. For a touch of feminine beauty we have beautiful and seductive Claire Trevor as Lily Fowler. Together, the entire cast makes for a rousing yarn set in the Old West. There is plenty of explosions, gun-fights, fist-fighting, fast horses and double dealing to keep the audience interesting and for once, our hero Robert Ryan doesn't have to play the heavy. OK, the story is a bit far-fetch, but fun none-the-less. Recommended to anyone who wishes to slay a somber afternoon. ***

Robert Ryan is Jeff Clanton, a newly released Yankee Calvary hero, who is falsely imprisoned by carpetbagger Matthew Fowler(Robert Preston who always had the skill to play a mean sonofabitch)who has manipulated and bought his way into territories left dry by war. Fowler runs a "detective agency" which pretty much is an organization of hoodlums always ready for more power and prestige. Clanton had round up a renegade group of confederate refugees lead by Cole Younger(Bruce Cabot, a fine western character actor often appearing in John Wayne films)and was about to swear them into civilian life when Fowler smelled millions when his right hand man, Joad(Barton MacLane who has always played characters you'd like to punch in the face with a brick), saw Clanton ride those soldiers in. Several members of these refugees included the notorious James brothers and horse thief Doc Butcher(Walter Brennan, who is always a blast to watch)..plenty have nice, fat price tags for retrieval. When Clanton refuses to hand them over to Fowler, the carpetbagger enlists a large sum of men to swarm up trouble. One man tries to pull a gun and is killed by Clanton. Fowler finds out that Clanton had been released by the Army and therefore could be tried for "murder", though clearly Jeff was right in pulling his gun. Thanks to the disgruntled wife of Fowler(a quite dependable Claire Trevor), Clanton escapes, but is shot in the leg and could pass out any minute. Being found by Doc and Cole's younger brother Bob(Jack Beutel), Clanton is rescued from certain grim fate. In a little town called Kint, Clanton prepares revenge on Fowler..his obsession is the meat of the true drama of the story. This film might have been routine if it wasn't for a stellar cast who seem inspired. The film is wonderfully shot in Technicolor and Ryan's hero against Preston's villain is fun. The added storyline of John Archer's treacherous Curly Ringo, Trevor's Lily trying to keep her identity as Mrs. Fowler secret(only Clanton and Ringo know;Ringo's knowing provides some added suspense..how long would he conceal her identity from Cole and the gang?), & Clanton's growing bond with Lily provide much needed help to a rather unsatisfyingly weak(and actually a bit far-fetched)ending. Something happens between Cole and Clanton and this doesn't get a follow through one might desire. The audience get what they want though..a final showdown between Clanton and Fowler.I guess why I'm a bit disappointed is because I feel this could've been great for we had all the makings of a solid conclusion, but instead we're left with not knowing what truly came of Cole and his remaining gang.