Ride Vaquero! (1953)

Set in post Civil War Texas, an outlaw (Anthony Quinn) terrorizes ranchers by burning their homes in an effort to drive them out. He is aided in his reign of terror by his right hand man (Robert Taylor). But when a homesteader (Howard Keel) stands up to the outlaw, it starts an inexorable tide that will break their bond. Directed by John Farrow (THE BIG CLOCK), the main interest in this western is the focus on its four main characters (Ava Gardner as Keel's wife is the fourth) and their conflicting relations with each other rather than your usual good guys vs. the bad guys shoot 'em ups. Which isn't to say this is a particularly good western because it isn't. It's rather weak. Still, it's an interesting piece with its unapologetic downbeat ending. It just needed a stronger screenplay. The acting isn't much either in spite of the star power involved. There's a decent score by Bronislau Kaper (LILI). With Kurt Kasznar, Ted De Corsia and Jack Elam.