This is a very formula Western.The formula is the same one used today. Since about 1950, the formula has been heavily in favor of "outlaws turning hero". This mentality didn't "creep" into the culture. It was slammed into the subconscious and the conscious of every American who watched more than ten Westerns in a life time. That's how brazen the formula was.So, this is the biggest of clichés, and we get the most stereotypical characters you'll ever find in an old Western.Still, the scenery and action works wonders to keep it from being dull. There are two women. The plain Jane one is nasty and hateful, and we can see her "reformation" a mile away. The other one is a hot Mexican woman, and her romance with the Army officer is the better and fresher story of the two romances. The romance of the vixen and the outlaw is so cliché filled that it was already a groaner in the sixties, so I expect it wasn't fresh in 1957 either, especially when one sees that this has been the standard since about 1950.So, this is actually "fluff", and not just "fluff", but definitive "fluff". No dimensions here at all. Nothing fresh, but nice action and scenery.

The most striking thing about this movie is just how splendid it looks ,thanks to the wonderful Technicolor photography by William Clothier .His credits also include Cheyenne Autumn and The Alamo(John Wayne version).He makes superb use of the rugged outdoors locations and does not neglect close-ups which also look very fine indeed .The plot is pretty standard fare in the Western -a trek by wagon train across hostile Indian country .The train is being escorted by Captain Riordan (Dennis O'Keefe).Among its passengers is a US Marshall (Trevor Bardette) ,his prisoner ,a killer (Barry Sullivan) a lady of the night (Katy Jurado)a "nice girl"(Mona Freeman)and sundry others.They are forced to put aside their differences in the face of repeated attacks by hostiles and form a bond wrought by adversity .The script gives each of the figures on the train a turn in the spotlight and the cast responds well with a string of strong performances well in evidence .Especially noteworthy is Jack Elam in a rare sympathetic role. Veteran action director Harold Schuster keeps things moving and the overall result is a strong ,well made Western that will please most genre lovers

Monogram Pictures changed its name to Allied Artists in an effort to change its image from that of a cheap B-studio. For the most part, it didn't really work. Allied Artists' product suffered from the same deficiencies that Monogram's did: shoddy production values, lesser talent--both in front of and behind the cameras--and a lack of originality in its stories. This film, however, does not fall into that mold. While the story--survivors of an Indian attack make their way across the desert to safety--may seem trite, what is done with it isn't. Director Harold D. Schuster, a former editor, is hardly a household name, but he has made several tight little B pictures (1954's "Loophole" is a first-rate film-noir thriller about a bank teller framed for a robbery), and this is one of them. Dennis O'Keefe does a very good job as a cavalry officer who survives an Indian attack, and must lead a disparate group to safety across the desert. They come across a group of traders who aren't exactly what they seem to be, and must band together with them for mutual protection. Jack Elam plays a gunfighter who isn't quite what he seems to be, either. There's a good musical score, Schuster handles the action scenes quite well, and there are some interesting plot twists. Altogether, a well-paced, intriguing little western, highly recommended.

Not as routine as it may sound-a cavalry captain and a wagon load of prisoners join forces on a trek through hostile Indian country. Fine acting from a strong cast, tight direction, and a rousing musical score make this one good fun.