Topeka

"A TRAIL OF GUNSMOKE DREW HIM TO TOPEKA!"

Aug 9 1953 Passed 1h 9m
Western

Bill Elliot emulates his idol William S. Hart in the superior western Topeka. Elliot plays the archetypal Good Bad Man, hired to kick the crooked element out of a small town. A hard-drinking, hard-living man, Elliot entertains thoughts of taking over the town himself for the benefit of his own gang. After several reels of soul-searching, Elliot decides to honor his promise to clean up the town for its decent citizens. Evidently director Thomas Carr rented a camera crane for this Allied Artists production, since the camera performs remarkable calisthenics, the kind not normally seen in a medium-budget western.

Plot

After a series of bank robberies, Jim Levering (Bill Elliott) as Wild Bill Elliott) and his gang decide to hide out for awhile in Deer Creek where bard-and-casino owner Mack Wilson (Harry Lauter)) is the overlord. Wilson runs a protection racket and the town merchants have to pay him to keep operating. Jim moves in, planning to eventually take over Wilson's racket for himself. He and his men whip Wilson's gang and all but drive them out of the town and territory, and Jim wins the respect of the community. When he is made sheriff, he and his pal Ray Hammond (Rick Vallin)) decide to keep going straight. The rest of Jim's old gang join Wilson's outfit and proceed to loot the town. Jim and Ray go into action and the outlaws are either killed or jailed. The townspeople petition the governor for a pardon for both of them.

Written by

Milton Raison

Directed by

Thomas Carr

Cast

Bill Elliott, Phyllis Coates, Rick Vallin

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Allied Artists Pictures, Westwood Productions

Languages

English

Awards

N/A

Scores
# of Votes
60
Average Rating
7 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA