Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

classicsoncall This picture combines elements from the real life exploits of the Dalton Gang and outlaw Bill Doolin, but if you do an internet search on The Cimarron Kid, all you get are references to this movie. I was surprised to see how quickly the Daltons faded from the story, but the events of their raid on Coffeyville, Oklahoma were portrayed fairly accurately. The historical Bill Doolin rode with the Daltons for a while, but whether he was with them on the Coffeyville run remains a matter of conjecture.Be that as it may, this Western is about par for the course for Audie Murphy's movie output. He played both heroes and villains in his pictures, trading on the personal popularity he gained as a real war hero during the Second World War. I don't think you'll find many reviewers who would call him a great actor but he managed to entertain well enough, and that's about the most one can expect from films like these.The puzzler for me in this film was why Murphy's character turned to a life of crime after being exonerated and recommended for parole over his associations with outlaws like the Daltons. His character was one that could have swayed either way, so when he goes the bad guy route I felt the film makers missed an opportunity. A scene I thought was pretty clever was the one in which Carrie Roberts (Beverly Tyler) wrangled an engagement ring out of the Kid when she wasn't even trying. Seems like Dad Roberts (Roy Roberts) was pretty much OK with it too.Now I've seen Hugh O'Brian in outlaw roles before but giving him red hair and a red beard was a bit much, wasn't it? I guess it had to do with his character's name, Red Buck. On hand as a foil to Bill Doolin's position in the gang as nominal leader after most of the Daltons get wiped out, Red doesn't make it out of Rigby during the shootout there. Speaking of which, the inclusion of that railroad turntable was a neat distraction since it had nothing to do with the outcome.Well, the real life Emmett Dalton survived the Coffeyville Raid and after serving prison time, wound up going to Hollywood to consult on films like "When the Daltons Rode". He was given short shrift in this story because the only Dalton survivor in this one was Dynamite Dick (John Hudson) who wound up double crossing Bill Doolin. Sometimes you just can't trust a fellow outlaw.

bkoganbing With the completion of The Cimarron Kid Audie Murphy played three of the Old West's legendary outlaws, Billy The Kid in The Kid From Texas, Jesse James in Kansas Raiders, and Bill Doolin in this film. I'm not sure any other player earned that distinction.Not that this is a true story of Doolin any more than those other two Universal western classics. Still Murphy makes an appealing and misunderstood hero who tries to go straight but the elements and his destiny work against him.True enough his running buddies were the Dalton gang and in this film Doolin who was picked up by the railroad detectives after his release from prison when the Daltons held up the train he was riding. He was just a paying passenger, but the railroad cops thought he was in on it.Standing out in the supporting cast is Hugh O'Brian who plays Murphy's rival for gang leadership. The fact that Murphy shoots better and has more upstairs than O'Brian fazes him not a wit. He's a mean and surly man miles from the upright Wyatt Earp he played on television.Budd Boetticher directed Murphy in good polished style and this western delivers on both action and plot.

mark.waltz Being in the wrong place at the wrong time turns legendary bandit Bill Doolin to crime in this by the numbers western. It seems that no matter how much he tries Doolin (played by the handsome Audie Murphy) can't escape from his past which sees him paroled and sent to Kansas for a job he never makes it to. On the way, his train is conveniently robbed by his old pals, the Dalton gang, and he is accused of being in on the robbery. Of course, the law is now after him, so what does an innocent man do? He joins the Dalton gang for a series of shoot-outs, confrontations by posses and betrayal by the woman he loves.Entertaining in its modest way, it comes alive briefly when the gang arrives in a small town only to find their way blocked out of it by the law, and their finding an ingenious way to escape. The film basically serves the purpose of telling us that screenwriters sympathized with those on the opposite side of the law, giving many excuses for their criminal activities, and turning the lawmakers into villains while vindicating the outlaws.

bsmith5552 "The Cimarron Kid" was another of Universal's great little 80 minute westerns based on legendary outlaws of the old west. This one benefits from crisp direction from soon to be legendary Diector Budd Boetticher, a great supporting cast and good story. It stars Audie Murphy in one his early and best roles.Bill Doolin aka "The Cimarron Kid" (Murphy) is paroled from prison and intends to go straight. Unfortunately, the train on which he is riding is held up by the notorious Dalton Gang (I always thought that there were four Daltons but this story has six). One of the gang, Red Buck (Hugh O'Brian complete with red hair and beard) recognizes the Kid. The passengers think that the Kid is a part of the gang and try to restrain him. The Kid escapes and goes to the Dalton's camp.The Daltons led by Bob Dalton (Noah Beery Jr.) welcome him into the gang. The overly ambitious Red Buck doesn't trust the Kid and a conflict develops. The gang has a two bank heist planned for Coffeyville, Kansas. Seasonedw western fans will know what happens there. With the gang decimated, the Kid takes over as leader and they flee to the ranch of Pat Roberts (Roy Roberts) to hide out with Marshal John Sutton (Leif Ericson) and Railroad detective Tilden (Eugene Baxter) hot on their trail. Naturally Roberts has a comely young daughter, Carrie (Beverly Tyler) who is attracted to the Kid and likewise.The gang in spite of several setbacks, continues to operate. Dynamite Dick Dalton (John Hudson), who was believed to be lost, returns to the hideout with a proposal. With the help of his brother-in-law Geaorge Webster (John Hubbard), he proposes the robbery of a train carrying gold bullion and replacing it with lead. As the plan unfolds, the Kid discovers a double cross and.........................................As with most of Universal's westerns, the supporting cast consists of several of their up and coming contract players, sprinkled with a few recognizable veterans. In addition to those mentioned above we have James Best, Gregg Palmer (aka Palmer Lee), Rand Brooks and William Reynolds as the other Daltons, as well as, Yvette Duguay as Best's girlfriend Rose, John Bromfield, Richard Garland and Frank Silvera as Dalton Gang members and Tristram Coffin as a womanizer/gambler.The boyish looking Murphy was developing into a competent actor by this time and would enjoy a long career at Universal making these excellent little westerns.