This is a movie that helped cement John Wayne in his position as the model for all future western characters or actors. The movie begins with a chase that we as an audience do not know the reason for. At the end of the chase Quirt Evans played by John Wayne is thrown from his horse and is lying in a field observed by Penny played by Gail Russell and her father. They rush to his aid and he has the strength left to demand that they take him on in to the telegraph station where Penny helps him send a message to secure two sections of land. He passes out and is returned to the farm where the doctor treats him and he spends three weeks recovering from a gunshot wound in the leg and exhaustion.

His benefactors are of the Society of Friends known as Quakers. They carry no weapons and do no harm to anyone even those who do them wrong. Quirt’s recovery is fairly quick and the initial love at first sight that hit Penny continues to grow in her. He seems to be totally blind to her love for him. Several things happen and he struggles with the bad man within. Quirt helps a neighbor to see the light about how great it can be when he does kindness for the Society of Friends by releasing some water that he has held back from them.

The plot thickens as the Territorial Marshal shows up with questions and more of his past is explained to the viewer. Quirt had been a deputy under Wyatt Earp and he quit his job and turned bad when Walt Ennis was shot and killed. The man doing the killing was called Laredo and Quirts mission in life ever since has been to throw roadblocks in front of Laredo.

Quirt is confronted with his good side as the Society of Friends accepts him and gives him a bible with his name on the front. He tries to go back to his old ways but is haunted by the remembrances of the Society of Friends and specifically Penny. He returns but the story is not over here. There is a confrontation with the truly bad Laredo and his helper Hondo. Good prevails and the Marshall gets his man.

This is a truly classic old western movie shot in the now Canyon Lands National Park outside of Moab, Utah. With classic western scenery and the iconic western actor of John Wayne, gives the viewer the idea that good will triumph over evil and love can conquer every thing. This movie is in my one hundred best western movies and I recommend it to everyone interested in a classic western.