Early-west gunman, John Wesley Hardin, has his life put on film in The Lawless Breed . Presumably based on Hardin's actual story of his career, published when he was released from a Texas prison after serving 16 years for killing a law man, the production has plenty of robust action stirred up by Raoul Walsh's direction.
The plot unfolds episodically and swiftly, telling how Hardin earned his reputation as a killer after getting his first victim in self defense, goes on the lam from the law and vengeance-seeking kinfolks, is forced into more killings, loses his sweetheart (Mary Castle) to a posse's bullets and acquires a new one in Julie Adams, the girl who later becomes his wife.
Rock Hudson does a very good job of the main character, and Adams makes much of her femme lead. John McIntire scores in dual roles, one as Hardin's overly-righteous, preacher father, and the other as the gunman's uncle.
Universal. Director Raoul Walsh; Producer William Alland; Screenplay Bernard Gordon; Camera Irving Glassberg; Editor Frank Gross; Art Director Bernard Herzbrun, Richard H. Riedel
Rock Hudson... John Wesley Hardin
Julie Adams... Rosie McCoy
Mary Castle... Jane Brown
John McIntire... J.G. Hardin / John Clements
Hugh O'Brian... Ike Hanley
Dennis Weaver... Jim Clements
Forrest Lewis... Zeke Jenkins
Lee Van Cleef... Dirk Hanley
Tom Fadden... Chick Noonan, Undertaker
Race Gentry... Young John Hardin
Richard Garland... Joe Clements
Glenn Strange... Ben Hanley
William Pullen... Joe Hardin
from VARIETY 1952
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