Tennessee's Partner (1955)

When an attempt is made on a gambler's (John Payne) life, he is saved by a cowboy (Ronald Reagan) just arrived in town. They form a friendship that is tested when the cowboy's fiancee (Coleen Gray) arrives for their marriage. The gambler recognizes her as a gold digger he knew in San Francisco. Directed by the veteran Allan Dwan (1922's ROBIN HOOD) from a Brete Harte short story, this pleasant western focuses on the bonds of friendship, how far friends will go to save a friend and the nature of a male friendship in relation to the women in their lives. Significantly, Dwan is able to do this without any traces of the homo-eroticism that often lurk in such portrayals in westerns, (WARLOCK and BUTCH CASSIDY come to mind). The film has an often subtle wit: when the phony gold digging Gray coos to the town's Madam (Rhonda Fleming) while visiting her establishment "I've never been in a place like this", Fleming slyly eyes her up and down before saying, "Don't worry, you'll fit right in!". It's not a film that requires great acting but all the performer play their roles well, even Reagan exhibits a bit of charm. With a young Angie Dickinson as one of Fleming's girls, Anthony Caruso, Leo Gordon and Myron Healey.