this film grab me right from the start with it open theme and stark but crisp black and white cinematography . there something fascinate about the character of major clint drango and intent on win over the citizen of kennesaw pas one at a time . in part to right the wrong of sherman army and his own involvement in the war a well and drango challenge be to bring the murderer of henry calder to justice . in so do and he must gain the confidence of the citizen that reconstruction will proceed with an emphasis on the law for everyone and not for a single man or for the army that win the war . i find it interest that clay allen ( ronald howard ) distrust drango because the major be an honest man . there seem to be a corollary there that resonate with the current state of political correctness and but i digress . the ebb and flow of the story with character slowly take side be my best takeaway from the film . it help that there be a great cast of familiar character actor here from the genre and folk like milburn stone and walter sande and parley baer and the venerable donald crisp . julie london and joanne dru be also effective in somewhat understated role and even though important to the story . john lupton probably deserve a large presence a drango adjutant and but i guess that how the saber rattle . overall and an intriguing western with an out of the ordinary theme that move along at a nice pace . the traditional good guy end be test along the way by force that pit the citizen of a small town against each other and much like the civil war do to the country . a a microcosm of that large conflict and drango delivers it message well .