ChanBot i must have seen a different film!!

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

moonspinner55 Adapation of William Burnett's story "Saint Johnson" is also a follow-up to (or rehashing of) 1932's "Law and Order", yet has enough energy and excitement to stand on its own. Ronald Reagan is very good playing the Marshal of Tombstone in the 1880s, tired of being a "hired killer" and quitting for a rancher's life on the outskirts of Cottonwood--only to find the citizens there much tougher than in Tombstone, including a scurrilous family who has tangled with the Marshal before. It's never made clear how the Marshal managed to get on the bad side of the Tombstone residents (they seem to want a no-nonsense approach to the law--and they've got it with Reagan--so what is their beef?). Dorothy Malone is wasted in frivolous role as Ronnie's girl (she always seems to be saying, "I'll be here when you come back") and the (blonde) actors playing Reagan's brothers are poor choices--they don't look or act anything like him. Still, there's a few evil, grinning sonsofbitches in the line-up who give the narrative dramatic flavor, and Reagan has a terrific scene early on protecting a prisoner from a lynch mob. Most of "Law and Order" (terrible title!) is strictly rote, a western formula, but the locations are good and the finale very satisfying. **1/2 from ****

BigSkyMax A town that couldn't be tamed until Ronald Reagan institutes strict gun control. "But what if there's gun play?" someone asks. "Then it's a matter of law and order," replies our hero. "A town with no guns? Why, we'll be laughed out of the West," observes a grizzled bystander. Ironically, this oater documents what actually did happen in the Old West: the very first laws passed in the cities were gun control laws - because they worked. A fact the elder Mr. Reagan and his posse later chose to forget. There's little else of interest in this routine Western. Except you get to see the Professor - of Gilligan's Island - shoot down Chester - of Gunsmoke.

classicsoncall Hey, wasn't that a great way to open the film - Ronald Reagan rides into view wearing that tin star, championing law and order and democracy. One of history's great ironic tributes to life imitating art.Ultimately though, the film is largely a run of the mill Western, a notch above the 'B' programmers churned out incessantly from the 1940's and '50's. This one was done in color, so it gets some points for that, and it was admirable to see that the nominal comic relief character (Chubby Johnson as Denver) had guts enough to stand with Frame Johnson (Reagan) and his brothers when things got rough. By the time Jimmy (Russell Johnson) duped Denver to open the cell door, it seemed almost out of character for him to get taken like that.You know, I got curious watching Reagan get on and off his horse. Twice when he dismounted, he did it by swinging his right leg over the saddle and sliding to the ground. The only time he mounted was from a raised deck where he was relatively level with the saddle. I'm wondering if Reagan might have been physically impaired during filming to allow for more mobility.The other point has to do with brother Jimmy. Right after Lute (Alex Nicol) dies, it only takes about a minute for Jimmy to get staggering drunk at the bar downstairs. However when he's on the run from Cottonwood after being sprung from jail, he manages to down a whole bottle of tequila with no ill effects!Some time during the '50's, and maybe earlier, it seemed to become the custom to show the best assets of a film's leading lady in profile. This is done extensively here with Dorothy Malone as Reagan's romantic interest, and to a lesser extent with Ruth Hampton's character. Somehow I don't think the ladies of the 1880's really looked like that, but who knows. At the same time though, Jeannie (Malone) had one of the picture's most memorable lines describing her man - "You're big and you're ugly and you're stupid, and I happen to be in love with you".

tim_smit1836 Yes this is a classic Western tale of 'good guys' vs 'bad guys' which Hollywood loves to recycle. Ronald Reagan (Frame Johnson) gives a fine performance as a Cincinnatus type sheriff who is called upon to quell a lawless town. The supporting cast includes the crooked and bought town sheriff (Barry Elder) and the all-powerful town leader (Preston Foster). Dorothy Malone (Jeannie) and Ruth Hampton (Maria Durling) provide the suffering women-in-waiting roles very well. Russell Johnson (Jimmy Johnson) comes off well as the hot-headed, quick to action younger brother of Reagan. The movie has plenty of color, great location shots, fight scenes and tough talking bad guys. Dennis Weaver (Frank Durling) and Jack Kelley (Jed) make the most of their screen time. This movie stands on its own and I recommend it for anyone wanting so see Reagan give a fine performance.