World War II hero Audie Murphy assumes the role that western icon Tom Mix created in the 1932 black & white version of Universal Studios' "Destry Rides Again" and that James Stewart recreated later for director George Marshall in the black & white 1939 remake "Destry Rides Again" as an easy-going lawman that prefers to ask questions first and sling lead second in the Technicolored rehash retitled "Destroy," ostensibly based on Max Brand's novel "Twelve Peers." There is a mite more irony in the casting of Murphy as a deputy sheriff who guzzles milk rather than liquor and shuns shooting irons than either Mix or Stewart. Basically, Murphy earned more medals during World War II on the battlefield for killing German soldiers as a U.S. Army infantryman than anybody else. Murphy squares off in this flavorful comic remake with actor Lyle Bettger, the epitome of 1950s' western villainy who went on to lock horns with the likes of Burt Lancaster in "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957) and Clayton Moore in "The Lone Ranger." Bettger fares even better as the smiling but slimy varmint that mustached Brian Donlevy played in "Destry Rides Again." The same cannot be said for raven-haired beauty Mari Blanchard who cannot hold a candle to the volatile Marlene Dietrich from the 1939 version. Interestingly, Donlevy's owl hoot went by the handle of Kent, while Bettger was named Decker, and Dietrich was called Frenchy whereas Blanchard was named Brandy.
As the infamous Phil Decker, Bettger establishes is villainous credentials early on when he swindles a rough-hewn homesteader, Henry Skinner (Walter Baldwin, the original Floyd the Barber on "The Andy Griffith Show") out of the deed to his ranch in a rigged poker game. Decker does this with the help of saloon siren Brandy who splashes steamy hold coffee on Skinner so he is distracted long enough to have his ace-in-the-hole card switched for a lesser card. When the outraged Skinner tries to reclaim his IOU from Decker, Sheriff Joe Bailey (Trevor Bardette) intervenes. However, Bailey gets gunned down for his noble efforts when he turns his back on Decker's henchmen. Once the sheriff is dead and cold, the Honorable Hiram J. Sellers, Mayor (Edgar Buchanan of "Texas") follows Decker's wishes and swears in the town drunk Rags (Oscar winner Tomas Mitchell of "Stagecoach") as the new sheriff. Determined to clean up the crooked town of Restless, Rags recruits the son of legendary lawman, Tom Destry (Audie Murphy) to help him. Rags expects Destry to behave like the pistol packing image of his father, but Tom disappoints him when he arrives in town with no guns. Surprises galore ensue once Tom pins on the badge and appears to be aiding and abetting the greedy Decker.
Although he never displayed a broad range of diverse roles as an actor, Audie Murphy acquits himself more than adequately with a personable performance. Director George Marshall doesn't let the momentum lag in this cheerful, upbeat oater for a minute. The finale in the saloon with Murphy swapping lead with multiple villains maintains the best western tradition in this clean-cut, freshly laundered 1950s sage-brusher. Lori Nelson as the good girl plays second fiddle to Blanchard's bad girl in this formula western, but she manages to rope the hero into her amorous embrace by fadeout. Alan Hale, Jr., who made a name for himself on CBS as the Skipper in "Gilligan's Island" lends solid support as a trigger-happy cattleman. "Destry" gives remakes a good reputation.
As the infamous Phil Decker, Bettger establishes is villainous credentials early on when he swindles a rough-hewn homesteader, Henry Skinner (Walter Baldwin, the original Floyd the Barber on "The Andy Griffith Show") out of the deed to his ranch in a rigged poker game. Decker does this with the help of saloon siren Brandy who splashes steamy hold coffee on Skinner so he is distracted long enough to have his ace-in-the-hole card switched for a lesser card. When the outraged Skinner tries to reclaim his IOU from Decker, Sheriff Joe Bailey (Trevor Bardette) intervenes. However, Bailey gets gunned down for his noble efforts when he turns his back on Decker's henchmen. Once the sheriff is dead and cold, the Honorable Hiram J. Sellers, Mayor (Edgar Buchanan of "Texas") follows Decker's wishes and swears in the town drunk Rags (Oscar winner Tomas Mitchell of "Stagecoach") as the new sheriff. Determined to clean up the crooked town of Restless, Rags recruits the son of legendary lawman, Tom Destry (Audie Murphy) to help him. Rags expects Destry to behave like the pistol packing image of his father, but Tom disappoints him when he arrives in town with no guns. Surprises galore ensue once Tom pins on the badge and appears to be aiding and abetting the greedy Decker.
Although he never displayed a broad range of diverse roles as an actor, Audie Murphy acquits himself more than adequately with a personable performance. Director George Marshall doesn't let the momentum lag in this cheerful, upbeat oater for a minute. The finale in the saloon with Murphy swapping lead with multiple villains maintains the best western tradition in this clean-cut, freshly laundered 1950s sage-brusher. Lori Nelson as the good girl plays second fiddle to Blanchard's bad girl in this formula western, but she manages to rope the hero into her amorous embrace by fadeout. Alan Hale, Jr., who made a name for himself on CBS as the Skipper in "Gilligan's Island" lends solid support as a trigger-happy cattleman. "Destry" gives remakes a good reputation.