When I noticed this movie advertised on ABC TV, I looked up the story, checked the cast, noted it was an RKO IB Technicolor production, and thought this just has to be seen. It sounded like I was headed for an above average western that I'd somehow missed over the years. Fifteen Min's in, I began to realize why I'd not come across it before (or had forgotten I had!)It could offer some fun for the undiscerning or easily pleased, but both reviews by Robert Maxwell, and Plankton Rules (both IMDb) have summed it up perfectly (I should have listened to their warnings). With all the great and good classic productions out there, why waste time on sub standard writing like this! The cast is fine (especially Robert Ryan) Clair Trevor was easy on the eye in gloriously colorful dress, but direction and script fully lets them down. The overused, and under talented Barton Maclane simply became a bit of a put-off in these clichéd roles. Leonard Maltin calls it 'offbeat', but it tends to tread a rather conventional trail...and rather poorly. I like an 'off-beat' story, they can often give us a reason to think along different lines, a bit like James Clavell's early racially aware western: "Walk Like a Dragon" from 1960. I suppose for 'Best Of The Bad Men' I should have been more conscious of the date ~ by the early 50's the once great RKO had been eroded into the doldrums by it's fanatical owner, and was just a few years away from total collapse. The combination of a 'B' western writer, and a largely Television based director, in this case, did not help either. Worst of the badmen ~ stay away if your looking for facts, believability or logic.......KenR

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 film is not like your typical Western from the past, it has a very interesting story about the Quantrill Raiders from the South after the Civil war in the states. These Quantrill Raiders were still fighting the Civil War when it was over quite awhile ago, they meet up with Robert Ryan, (Jeff Clanton) a soldier in the Northern Army and he knows most of these Raiders and tries to help them get clemency from their war crimes. The Jesse James gang has joined up with the raiders and Lawrence Tierney, "Dillenger", plays the role of Jesse James. Robert Preston, (Matthew Flower) plays a carpetbagger who runs a Detective Agency and is out to kill Jeff Clanton, who is a lover of his wife, Claire Trevor,(Lily); and knows that Matt Flower is a crooked man out to make himself a fortune on capturing men who are Wanted and cash in on their reward money. Walter Brennan, (Doc Butcher) gives a great supporting role and lots of laughter. Great Western, enjoy.