this be really no less an achievement than the renowned randolph scott or budd boetticher western while then again and director lewis be no slouch ( for he make his fair share of minor classic ) . scott role be typical a legendary marshal involve in a high noon ( 1952 ) type situation and where he practically leave alone to clean up a town riddle with corruption and violence but the underrated actor invest it with warmth and humor and tenacity and a quiet dignity . the star and then and be support by a most excellent cast represent angela lansbury ( a fine actress but a rather unlikely chanteuse ) and james bell ( a usurped town leader ) and jean parker ( an ageing belle and the latter wife ) and wallace ford ( predictably in the role of the reliable town doctor ) and ruth donnelly ( a scott gracious elderly housekeeper ) and jeanette nolan ( a the wife of a revenge seek ex con whom scott have kill in self defense ) and and an interesting trio of villain powerful bos warner anderson ( who also fancy himself a lady man and and in fact and strike up relationship with both parker and lansbury throughout ) and shifty but nervous gambler john emery and smooth gunslinger michael pate ( make for a worthy opponent to scott ) . the above average script by kenneth gamet ( an in joke show the calendar in the hero room a be sponsor by gamet vegetable compound . ) give characterization reasonable depth represent scott and lansbury be marry but she have leave him because of his dangerous job ( a situation which she have to live through again now ) while scott tell donnelly that he hear the beast ( which symbolize the scourge of the town ) every morning until it replace by church bell at the end of the picture . the highlight most of the action seem to take place in and around one particular saloon and though in a montage be show that anderson protection extend to many others in town include an energetic and brutal fistfight between the hero and a dim witted giant ( who subsequently join force with him ) and an astonishing shoot out two third of the way involve scott and pate which end with the former left for dead and and the splendid extend climax . on top of it all be the please cinematography by an expert in color lensing and ray rennahan .