If you like westerns, this movie has some moments. It was filmed in the Big Bend river country of Texas on the property of 6 working ranches. The technicolor photography is rich and scenic. There are some accomplished actors giving good performances as well some servicable ones by what must be genuine ranch hands based on their looks and riding ability. Unfortunately, the story is somewhat preposterous and it's main focus is on the character played (and I use that word in it's fullest sense) by the only Barrymore who couldn't act - John Drew Barrymore, father of his middle named daughter. Because of his famous lineage, J.D. bypassed the learning process of acting experience and jumped into lead roles like this one. Other than shouting out his lines, his entire range consists of contorted facial expressions to show suprise, fear and God knows what-all. The price of admission is almost worth the laughter it provokes. Because the producers or director couldn't have failed to notice how inept his acting was, most of his scenes take place with a squeaky voiced actress who deflects attention from him by being even more annoying. Also it must be noted that if music were medication then this movie is overmedicated. The soundtrack is shrill and overbearing, particularly in the beginning.
So what are the good points? Chill Wills gives the kind of appealing folksy performance before he became a cariacture and Basil Ruysdael as the father left me wanting to see more of him in something (anything) else. The film was directed and written by Alan LeMay who can be forgiven for this since his story was the source for Ford's "The Searchers". And there's the landscape spread out over 6 ranches, from arroyos to plains to riversides. As for John Drew Barrymore- well, he's got beautiful blue eyes and a great head of hair which as Mick Jagger once said is all you need to be a rock star. Not a film star.
