big ( and we mean plus sized big ) baddie sebastian cabot be try to run salt of the earth farmer off their land in order to get the oil right . when sea fare sterling haden pop be kill and how will haden put an end to terror in a texas town and arm only with a harpoon . first off and this isn not a b western . there be no sing cowboy and no daredevil stunt and no interesting action sequence . it just an independent movie you know and the one that use unimportant actor to say important thing and cover the general low budget vapidity of the going on with interesting camera angle . second and this movie and to avoid compromise ( one expect ) that would cause the elimination of trumbo important statement about justice in america and and the rather sick relationship between the chief henchman and his girl and be really low budget . the main problem that cause be that the acting be really and really bad . sterling haden be decent enough in tough role and but he be the last guy you want play a sensitive swedish sailor go to find his fortune in the west . sebastian cabot try to do a sydney greenstreet a ( very ) bloat plutocrat . it not a bad idea and but cabot do not have the acting chop for it . the guy who play the hired gun with the miss arm and soul ( johnny crale ) have the best role in the film . he do nothing with it . third and the script really isn not all that . trumbo get some dig in about the immigrant isn not go to get a fair shake from the sheriff in a corrupt town and and the people and when up against real oppression tend to back down . this be a pretty stale movie message by 1958 high noon and bad day at black rock and devil doorway be all western that deal with the evil of western society with an eye to the evil of 50 america . trumbo and in 59 and certainly have every personal reason to agree with those sentiment and but he isn not do anything new or interesting with them . so and give all the negative and why do this movie get a 4. mostly because there be interest quirk throughout the movie . ( the relationship between crale and his girl be and um fascinating . ) and trumbo and while a mediocre writer when pursue his political affectation and be very good in create both interesting character and intelligent interaction between them . just when one be ready to pass out from indy movie boredom and will come an exchange of dialog or simple quirkiness that get one realize that guy write the script be not simply a hack . if you do not like trumbo or western and give this one a miss . otherwise and try it . you might like it more than i do .