while on the dodge from a shooting scrape and gunfighter alan ladd meet up with a pair of drifter and robert keith and john berkes . they want him to pose a the long lost son of a prominent texas rancher charles bickford who be kidnap a a child and never hear from again . john berkes be a tattoo artist and he give alan ladd a tattoo that look like a birth mark the child have . it work all too well a ladd be welcome into the home of bickford and wife selena royle . in addition there a sister in the home play by mona freeman and ladd be not develop brotherly feeling for her . in the end he can not go through with fleece these decent people and ladd set out to set thing right . brand be ladd second star western after whisper smith and he prove to be equally well receive here . the urban ladd of the film paramount put him in start with this gun for hire gradually give way to a western character and he would do more of them of vary quality over the rest of his career . the best of which be that immortal classic shane . in one sense though ladd character be very much like raven in this gun for hire . both of them be orphan with great big chip on their shoulder . imagine raven a little early than when he meet up with veronica lake and get into the home of a couple like bickford and royle and you have a pretty good idea of what ladd character choya be like in branded . act honor however go to the ever dependable joseph calleia a a mexican bandit chief and to robert keith . keith usually be a good guy in most film and a typical role for him would be the father of the tuttle girl a he be in young at heart . he completely play against type a a slime ball bottom feeder who turn out to be far more despicable than even we originally think . brand be a good western and alan ladd and the cast member should be proud of their work in this one .