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Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Touches You

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

A couple of reviews here questioned the need for an intermission in this film. One called it "unnecessary" and another thought it was meant to sell more stuff at the candy counter. Those could be true, but I think it's more likely that it was needed to load film into the projectors. The 3D films at that time used a two image projection system, often taking up all available projection room space.If you take a look at the last minute or so of the first half, you'll note that this film has none of those bubble-like cues (those must have had a name, right?) to let the projectionist know that it's time to switch machines. Most likely, the film had to be removed from the projector and replaced with the second half.I won't bother reviewing the film, itself. The folks here covered it well. Pretty lousy movie. I just wanted to, hopefully, clear up a question that has been burning in everyone's mind for so many years.

Decent Western story that has all the known ingredients we are looking for such as horses, gunplay, drinking, good and bad guys a robbery that nets over 5k dollars (a lot for back then), a love interest, dust, scenery and good old fashioned Sheriffs trying to enforce the law. Add Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwick and Ward Bond plus other familiar faces and you have yourself another story involving the Wild West. Get your snack ready and saddle up here. Also I was surprised to see the words "intermission" come up on the screen. This must have been for selling snacks, drinks and bathroom breaks. BTW, if you don't know what a moonlighter is they explain it pretty good so.....

Cattle rustler outwits a lynch mob and takes refuge with his Ma and kid brother; he reacquaints himself with a former sweetheart--but after he's involved in a bank robbery, the girl gets herself deputized and vows to bring him in "dead or alive". Mediocre western rides a familiar trail, the only hook for an audience (today, and most likely in 1953 as well) being the casting of the leads. Fred MacMurray is a terrific failed bad guy, his look of incredulousness suiting his hulking frame, while Barbara Stanwyck acquits herself well in cowgirl duds and handles both horse and rifle exceptionally well. Not a barn-burner by any means, and saddled with a stodgy direction from Roy Rowland, but an interesting b-item for admirers of the stars. ** from ****

The first 15 minutes of this Western are exciting and different. I was thrilled as it looked like this film was actually a break from the usual dull cowboy film. Sadly, as the film progressed, it only morphed into a rather typical film--losing all the promise and great plot at the beginning.The film begins with Fred MacMurray in jail for cattle rustling (i.e., "moonlighting"). However, the "good citizens" of the town don't want to wait for justice to take its course and attack the jail. They want to string up MacMurray, though the people don't know what he looks like. This is a SERIOUS problem, as one of the deputies had locked himself into the cell to protect himself from the mob. The mob mistakenly thought the deputy was the criminal (an odd mistake, granted) and string him up instead. MacMurray later returns to the town and one by one starts exacting revenge in the name of the dead man. Most of the killings are pretty cool and I loved this angle.Then, however, inexplicably, after Fred gets hurt, the entire plot changes. Why do this when the initial plot is so good?! All thoughts about revenge on the town vanish and the plot changes to a rather dull film about Fred and his old fiancée, played by Barbara Stanwyck. In addition to this not making any sense, what makes even less sense is when Fred's brother (always a good and law abiding citizen) decides to join Fred in a life of crime. The motivation for this just hadn't been established and seemed bizarre. If this isn't bad enough, Barbara later becomes sort of an action-hero and has a show-down with the ultra-bad guy (Ward Bond)--and SHE wins!! Then, in the end, Fred has a sudden change of heart and decides to turn himself in and go straight!! What happened to the writing and the common sense?! What started as a great film quickly degenerated into a confusing and unconvincing mess--most of which seem unmotivated and disconnected. Not a shining moment in the career of either of the stars of this film. It only manages a score as high as 4 because at least it started well.