Looks like producer Sherman took a break from his Hopalong Cassidy series to make this non- programmer. It's well produced with plenty of extras, even if the action never leaves the greater LA area. Dix makes an affable good guy as he tries to get a railroad built that Jory wants to sabotage for selfish reasons. Cobb's the wild card whose freight-haulers also want to sabotage Dix. In fact, the plot's a rather interesting mix of shifting alliances, along with a fine cast of movie veterans and up-and-comers like Wyatt and Cobb (he plays an old man though only a young 31). Good seeing the great Albert Dekker in a sympathetic role since he usually specialized in villains or wacko's (e.g. Among the Living {1941}). Also surprising is Jane Wyatt who makes a lovely, spirited ingénue, and ex-heavyweight champ Max Baer who's good enough to steal the film.
There's not much good action until the slam-bang finale, which makes effective use of the arid SoCal scrublands. The main part is interesting enough as the various characters clash before deciding which side they're on. Still, I wonder whose idea it was to interrupt the finale with cross-cutting to Wyatt and Lane deciding who it is they really love, and in front of a crummy background set, no less. I guess that's my only real complaint, though the earlier massed brawl is clumsily choreographed. Anyway, it's a decent enough western without being anything special.
