PamelaShort Randolph Scott plays Jim Dancer, a man in search of revenge for the murder of his brother. He rides with the Quantrell gang and after killing Evelyn Slocom's ( Joan Taylor ) father, believing he was the killer of his brother, Dancer now finds himself a wanted man. Years pass and he is now the Marshall of a Kansas town where he defeats another violent gang with the help of a young Jesse James ( Dale Robertson ). Randolph Scott and director Edwin L. Marin bring about an exceptional gripping atmospheric western. With a balanced amount of storyline complexity, a surprisingly powerful violent opening scene for the time and plenty of excellent elements of surprise, leaving the viewer wondering how it will all come to a climax. Also, the dark cinematography gives towering Randolph Scott an imposing quality, perfect for his character. Fighting Man of the Plains may very well be one of his best westerns to close out the 1940s. With a superb line up of excellent character actors along with the young Dale Robertson, this western hold ups extremely well. A full synopsis would only give away too much watching enjoyment for the reader. If you are a fan of Randolph Scott and western genre, I highly recommend giving " Fighting Man of the Plains " a look.

alexandre michel liberman (tmwest) This film would probably not come out with honors if reviewed by a harsh critic. They would find flaws in the psychological motivations of the main characters, and at certain moments the simplicity of a comic book style of narration where the characters ostensibly explain what the screen cannot show. But there is another dimension to a western where other factors are what count. This film grabs you from the beginning and involves you up to the end, pure excitement, fast moving, there is Quantrill, Jesse James, and the hero, Jim Dancer (Randolph Scott) who used to ride with them taking part on the massacre in Lawrence, Kansas. By a series of circumstances he ends up sheriff of a town, but it is only a question of time before people will find out who he really is. There is a great ending and an excellent Dale Robertson as Jesse James on a very small part. If you think you saw all the best Scott movies, you will have a good surprise when you see this one, and it is hard to believe, it was made in 1949!

dougdoepke After a fast start, this western settles into what amounts to a plot-heavy gab fest. I'm afraid fans expecting hard-riding, fast-shooting, or scenic horizons, are going to be disappointed. Not that everything is downside. No western with the great Randy Scott can be overlooked; also, perennial bad guy Victor Jory gets to essay a good guy, for a change. And, I really like Bill Williams as a boyishly unlikely gunsel. Then add pudgy, squinty-eyed Barry Kelley as the lead black hat, and it's a fine cast.Too bad indie producer Nat Holt apparently spent everything on casting since it left him little for filming outside of studio sets. This results in a basically 'indoor' western with some action in the streets. Maybe that's the result of adapting Gruber's novel to the screen and leaving little out. So you may need a scorecard to keep up with all the characters and plot developments. One thing to notice— how county officials are really being shown as in on the graft. I love that scene where justice of the peace (Williams) gouges penalty money out of anyone who dares speak up and then splits it up with his cronies. That's certainly no western cliché. All in all, the movie's long on complex story but short on traditional outdoor visuals. Still, even here, no one looks more the western hero than the iron-jawed Scott.

Robert J. Maxwell Scott is arrested by James Millican, a detective for the Pleasonton Agency. The two have nothing personal against each other. When the detective is accidentally killed, someone has to cut off his hand to free Scott from the handcuffs. Scott takes the detective's place and, a bit later, is made sheriff of Lanyard, Kansas. He makes friends. He makes enemies. There are unscrupulous businessmen. Scott cleans the whole place up and gets the girl.By this point in his career Scott had decided, wisely, to turn out nothing but Westerns. He looked and acted the part well. According to Bob Osborne's commentary on TV, Scott enjoyed working out of doors, sitting back and reading the Wall Street Journal while the stunt men did the rough work. Scott was a keen investor and retired a wealthy man to the golf country of North Carolina without ever looking back at Hollywood. He bowed out after Sam Pekinpaugh's "Ride the High Country," a good note to leave on. He managed his career -- his life -- pretty well, all in all.Most of his Westerns were, if not exactly identical, cut from the same mold so the comparison of one to any of the others must depend on fine judgments about details. Is the film in glorious color? This one is not. Is the location interesting and evocative? Not this one, which looks like the San Fernando Valley used to look before the last inch of it was paved over. Better than usual support? No. Is Scott given any help from the script? An oddity of character? A quirk? An occasional wry turn of phrase? Not here. The result is a typical and not unrewarding Randolph Scott Western that doesn't distinguish itself from the many others he made in these years.Nice to see Victor Jory as something other than an open sleaze bag.