extremely entertain mid 1950 western that pack a whole lot into just a 96 minute run time . most viewer will quickly get draw into this story and will find the experience quite enjoyable . more than just a b western but not really an epic and the budget be modest and the cast affordable despite several big name . glenn ford be the only box office draw at the time . edward g. robinson and barbara stanwyck be past their prime and look for work and stanwyck be 10 year away from a new popularity in the big valley . brian keith and dianne foster be just start out . ford play john parrish and a small rancher who decide to sell out when the sympathetic sheriff be murder by the big rancher ( robinson ) hire gunman . parrish be a former confederate officer who only move out west for health reason . robinson play lee wilkison and who already own most of the valley and intend to acquire the rest and make good on a promise to his wife martha ( stanwyck ) . lee be cripple in a land war he fight 12 year earlier while his brother cole ( keith ) have come up from texas to help him run the huge spread . lee have be turn a blind eye to obvious hookup between stanwyck and keith but sensitive daughter judith ( foster ) be understandably upset by what be go on in their home . john parrish have promise his fiancée caroline ( may winn ) that he will move back east . caroline and who be model on grace kelly high noon character and break off the engagement at the first sign of trouble and simply disappears from the film . this leave the way open for a john and judith romance to develop . the violence start early and continue throughout the film and with parrish able to apply military tactic against an enemy who underestimate his ability and determination . he have a very original confrontation with the main gunfighter about midway into the film . ford play one of his standard character while the modest guy who disarm everyone with a self deprecate manner and who be slow to take offense but brutal when finally provoke ( very much like his role in the sheepman ) . robinson be likewise excellent a a man who maintain his personal integrity even though physically just a shadow of his former self . and he get enough line and screen time to adequately develop his character . stanwyck have the most difficult role and she be simply not convince a the classic two face woman and a seemingly loyal wife who be scheme to replace her husband with his brother . in part this be because she be not allocate enough time to do anything more than superficially convey either side of the character . that say and a talented actress could have do a much good job even with these limitation . dianne foster be a pleasant surprise . she should remind viewer a lot of carroll baker and both physically and in act style . although require to play judith accord to 1950 convention ( she be allow to be tough but then require to break into hysteric after each major confrontation ) and foster show a nice range . she convey a grow attraction for parrish but do it so subtly that it be only in retrospect that the various clue click into place . the real problem with the violent men be that it try to be both an action western and a character study morality play . because so much have to happen on the screen much of the action be rush and many of the character get only a cursory treatment . this be neither fatal flaw nor a reason to avoid the film and but it could have be significantly well with another 20 minute of run time or the absence of unnecessary character like caroline . then again and what do i know . i be only a child .