I had high hopes for this movie, but became gradually disappointed, especially towards the implausible ending.I'm a big Westerns fan, Randolph Scott fan, and a fan of director Edward Marin, who directed one of my all-time favorite movies, John Wayne's "Tall In the Saddle." This movie started out brightly. I liked the plot device where Scott is being taken to jail by detective Milligan. The two are handcuffed together; Milligan is killed by accident, and Scott switches identities, which leads to his becoming town sheriff. There was also a welcome gritty scene where Victor Jory uses a pen knife to cut off the dead detective's hand to free Scott. Dale Robertson, in his first credited role, has two refreshing scenes.**** Spoilers**** Towards the end, the movie disintegrates much in my opinion. Barry Kelly is the political and financial boss of the town. He owns practically everything including the surrounding territory. Douglas Kennedy is town prosecutor and Kelly's loyal right-hand man. As I said, Kelly owns and controls just about everything. (It is a little puzzling the way he could legally own and control so much.) He starts to turn the screws on the townsfolk (raising the rent, insisting on a cut of the profits, fees to transport cattle, etc.). People, including Milo Meeker, begin to complain, but so what? Kelly controls everything. So why does Kelly and Kennedy arrange to have Milo Meeker killed openly in his store, especially where witnesses can see the five killers? The five are tried in court and sentenced to hang. About that time, Scott is exposed as the wanted murderer he is. Kennedy is appointed sheriff, frees the five murderers, and goes ballistic. For no real reason he starts shooting dead leading citizens. He then attempts to hang Scott for his past crimes, and Kennedy turns on Kelly and announces that he'll rob Kelly's bank. But then suddenly and for no good reason to know of Scott's plight, Dale Robertson (who is playing Jesse James) and four of his men turn up to save Scott from the hanging and to help shoot down the bad guys. Scott remains in town (as Sheriff?) even though he is still a known wanted murderer. All so implausible.

Renowned western novelist Frank Gruber wrote the script of FIGHTING MAN OF THE PLAINS (1949) based on his own book. It tells the story of Jim Dancer (Randolph Scott), a fugitive outlaw who'd been part of Captain William Quantrill's infamous raid on Lawrence, Kansas on August 21, 1863. Dancer is apprehended by a "Pleasanton" (read: Pinkerton) detective who is then killed in an accident, allowing Dancer to take his identity and wind up in Lanyard, Kansas, where he's pressured into taking the job of Marshal after fearlessly subduing some rowdy cowboys. It's a fairly corrupt town, but the new Marshal does a good job of keeping the peace and gets aid from some unexpected quarters at the local gambling hall. The script is awash in simmering undercurrents, including the fact that the man who owns the town, Slocum (Barry Kelley), had killed Dancer's brother during the war, and Dancer had killed Slocum's brother in response during the Lawrence raid. Slocum's niece (Joan Taylor), who'd witnessed the killing of her father a decade earlier, lives with her uncle but fails to recognize Dancer as the culprit and begins to fall for him. Meanwhile the gambling saloon owner, Oldham (Victor Jory), finds his voluptuous partner, Florence (Jane Nigh), falling for Dancer as well. Eventually, Slocum alienates both the local cattlemen and the railroad company through his efforts to control all the land around town and a showdown is inevitable. At one point, a detective from Chicago shows up, summoned by the suspicious Slocum, to see if "Marshal Cummings" (Dancer's new identity), is indeed his old detective buddy. To make matters worse, Slocum's got cocky young gunslinger Johnny Tancred (Bill Williams) in his pocket, ready to take over when the tide turns. Dancer has his own ace in the hole, however, thanks to his old wartime associations. The finale offers a clear violation of the Production Code, but I can see where the blurred lines between good and bad, lawman and lawbreaker, "respectable" and disreputable could have easily confused the censors. Lots of stuff happens in the movie and the cast of characters is quite colorful. Things never slow down and surprises come at us pretty quickly. I had a great time watching this. I never felt it getting too far-fetched for me. The cast includes plenty of old hands at this kind of thing (Scott, Jory, Paul Fix, Douglas Kennedy) and a few new hands (Taylor, Nigh, Williams) and they're all good. Jory is particularly awesome. He comes off initially as his patented oily gambler, but he proudly defies our expectations. Future western star Dale Robertson appears as Jesse James in his first credited role. He has only two scenes—one good one and one great one. Film noir regulars Barry Kelley and Berry Kroeger are both on hand, one as a bad guy and one who'll surprise you.I watched this on TCM, which showed a black-and-white print of a Cinecolor film. I hope someone finds a color print and releases it on DVD.

In Fighting Man of the Plains Randolph Scott is a former member of Quantrill's Raiders who kills Barry Kelley's brother during the Civil War and Kelley is hot to get him. He privately hires the Pleasanton (Pinkerton) Detective Agency to track him down. Pleasanton man James Millican does succeed in capturing Scott after several years.But a funny thing happens on the way back. Millican gets himself killed and Scott takes his identity. As a Pleasanton Man with law enforcement experience and being fast on the draw in any event, he's a natural to bring some law and order to the new trail town of Lanyerd, Kansas. Of course Randy gets himself hip deep in the various political factions and even runs across his old enemy, Barry Kelley.It's a rather complex situation, but the writers did come up with an interesting resolution of the plot for Randy. It does involve Scott having good friends in low places.Fighting Man of the Plains was the first film where Dale Robertson got noticed and Dale plays real life Quantrill veteran Jesse James. You could tell that Dale was going to have a substantial career.Best performance in the film however without a doubt is that of Bill Williams of young on the prod gunfighter in Kelley's employ. He proves a bit too much for Kelley to handle.Victor Jory appeared in many post war Randolph Scott films usually as a bad guy. It was unusual to see him as Scott's friend in this film. I also enjoyed Rhys Williams as the moneygrubbing justice of the peace.Fighting Man of the Plains is one of Randolph Scott's better post World War II westerns. Don't miss it if broadcast again.

I was just 6 years old when I saw "Fighting Man of the Plains"...my parents took me and my sisters to a drive-in movie in Indianapolis, Indiana. We used to go to the drive-in about once a month, because it was the best way for a young family to get a night out. What I remember most about the film is that rather early-on Randolph Scott is under arrest, and he and the lawman are taking a small raft-like ferry across some water, when a horse rears-up and its hoof smashes the lawman in the face. The movie was in color, and the close-up of the bloody face was mesmerizing. Randolph Scott then assumed the lawman's identity and went on to bring law and order to a lawless Kansas town. I grew-up to become a successful television news anchor/reporter and video producer...but I would love to see "Fighting Man of the Plains" again. It was a seminal moment in my childhood, and forever marked Randolph Scott...and westerns...as some of my favorite movie fare.