blankend This is pretty much your typical early 1950s western. It really would have benefited with someone like Randolph Scott or Joel McRea in the leading role. Van Johnson was known for musical comedies, not Westerns. He was not rugged or convincing enough in the role of the Confederate spy from Georgia. Co-star Richard Boone would have been better, but this movie preceded the anti-hero era, and Boone was still playing bad guys at this point of his career. He would not begin 'Have Gun Will Travel' until 1957.I agree that Milburn Stone stole every scene he was in and provided some nice comedic relief. As a matter of fact, I have no problem with any of the cast except for Johnson, who looked more comfortable banging on the piano and singing Tapioca then he did riding, shooting, or fighting.Hollywood Westerns were famous for their historic inaccuracy, especially when it comes to the Civil War and weapons. From the comments about the South in retreat, and Grant pushing Lee back, I take the film was supposed to have been around 1865. During the Civil War, both sides were using single-shot black powder rifles and cap and ball pistols, but Hollywood always had them shooting Colt 45s and Winchester repeater rifles. That made me wonder if the Gatlin Gun was even invented during the Civil War. This led me to the internet, where I confirmed "...Invented by Richard Gatling, it is known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat." So, it looks like they finally got something right, but the movie indicated it hadn't been used in combat yet, and the war was already ending.All in all, this is a nice diversion for 50s western fans (like myself) if you can get past Van Johnson's miscast role.

Spondonman It's a typical 50's Technicolor Western trotting out all the usual ingredients with the usual vim – no-nonsense people and plot was the motto.Two Rebs steal the being-developed Gatling Gun from the Feds in an ingenious segment, eventually toting it further south but ending up stuck in a small town. This town gets quickly filled to the brim with Federal soldiers still on the hunt for their gun. Van Johnson (Reb) and Joanne Dru (Fed) fall for each other of course although of course they don't realise it until the climax. What interested me was the implication that the gun could be used by civilised whites against each other in a civilised slaughter but that selling it to the savage Reds was beyond the Pale. Both Feds and Rebs are eventually united to prevent the Reds using it during the noisy 5 minute siege. And of course the implication was only the Reds were low enough to actually use the horrible weapon the Feds had had the brains to design – at the time of production America had the same idea about the Russian Reds and the atom bomb.It has a bit of everything Western in: romance and fights, trains and horses, shootings and slapstick comedy. It's fun, I loved it.

NewEnglandPat This western is about two unreconstructed southerners who steal a Gatling gun from Union soldiers which winds up in the hands of an outlaw who sells the gun to Indians for gold. The film dwells on character development and takes a great deal of time detailing the two southern agents' travels from town to town delivering coded messages and trying to arrange a rendezvous with a contact to deliver the Gatling. The picture is another Blue vs. Gray conflict in the west with the Indians on the warpath against the soldiers, a plot angle that has been done better in other westerns. Van Johnson is okay as the hero and Joanne Dru is the gal who falls for Johnson. Richard Boone is a standout as a gun-running renegade in a role as a heavy he would reprise in other westerns. The supporting cast and color photography are good.

Len-19 This western is,in my opinion,very underrated,and gives a nice blend of adventure,thrills,actiion and wry humour with the addition of some very catchy tunes. Van Johnson gives a good performance as one of a pair of undercover Confederate agents,carrying a stolen Gatling Gun through Union territory to aid the cause of the South. They travel as medicine salesmen contacting Confederate agents as they travel and picking up Joanne Dru on the way. The love interest between her and Van Johnson provide some nice humerous touches. Richard Boone steals the film,of course, as a really nasty,bullying,woman hating,unscrupulous,murdering cut-throat,who steals the Gatling gun from Van Johnson and sells it to the Indians and joins them, for money,of course, in attacking the Cavalry Fort. The fights,action scenes and Indian attack are very well-done. At the end Van Johnson gives Boone his come-uppance,the day is saved and Van goes off with Joanne into the sunset, but all in a very satisfying manner. Milburn Stone and Jeff Morrow provide excellent support. The direction,writing and acting are above par from all concerned. It is a western that one can see time and time again and still obtain great enjoyment.