Product: Hangman's Knot (1952)
Rating: 4.0
knuckleheads-the war is over!
This film must have had a touch of de ja vu for Randolph Scott. As in his 1940 "Virginia City", he is in charge of a stolen Yankee gold shipment in Nevada, meant to help the Confederacy prolong the War. In both cases, this operation occurred just before or just after the War was over. Thus, the question is:What should be done with the gold? They couldn't just give it back to Federal authorities, as they had killed 7 soldiers in stealing it, even if they believed they were acting on behalf of their government. Most of the film involves fending off bandits who know for sure what to do with the gold. In the end, it's not clear(to me) the eventual fate of the gold. Perhaps a fate basically similar to that of the gold in "Virginia City"? More likely, the remaining hostages(now their declared friends!), returned it to Federal authorities, explaining that the theives had all been killed in a shootout with another bandit gang or by themselves(not true)... A good action western. The plot is not complicated, but the basic situation is, especially for the ex-Confederates and their hostages.