User Reviews

The back braking work of capturing and breaking horses is the background for this Virginian story. James Drury and David Hartman are in Texas to take back to Shiloh some newly broken mustangs to use for their roundup. These are purchased from John Agar's ranch and they've broken by his chief mustanger James Edwards.

Edwards is not happy with his son Chuck Daniel's return. Edwards does not want that kind of a life for his son. But Daniel has left school; to foll;ow in his father's trade.

As for Edwards who has no education this is all he knows. But he's slowing down and can't cut it any more. A chance to make a big score with a little horse stealing may prove too much.

Some good scenes with Edwards and Daniel highlight this Virginian story. No pension or Social Security for Edwards to retire on in those days. It's a fate that in this day is shared less than in turn of the last century Wyoming and Texas.

Flabby yarn doesn't deliver enough rugged action. Verbose script is given to rambling speeches (an uneasy Drury is stuck with one of them) but never gets around to making the racial statement implied by the casting of edgy black actor James Edwards as the washed-up bronco buster. Still, there are a few redeeming surprises, including a transparent depiction of a busy western bordello and an unexpectedly raw ending. The acting temperatures run the spectrum from overheated (Edwards), tepid (John Agar), to unthawed (David Hartman). The lack of rapport between The Virginian and Hartman's tangle-footed David Sutton character is painfully obvious.