"Devil's Canyon" is a disappointing western from RKO. Filmed in 3D it appears that more attention was given to the "comin' at ya" effects than the story line. There's a competent cast that is largely wasted on a weak script.
The story begins in a town where ex-sheriff Billy Reynolds (Dale Robertson) sans six shooters, resides. Abby Nixon (Virginia Mayo) who despite her comments to the contrary, iis in love with Billy. She comes to warn him that the Gorman brothers (John Cliff, Fred Coby) are gunning for him. Abby it seems had been involved with Jessie Gorman (Stephen McNally) whom Billy had imprisoned.
Well you see there's a new law prohibiting gun fights and guess what? Billy straps on the guns and kills the brothers. He is immediately arrested by the sheriff (Morris Ankrum). Billy winds up against his protests, in State Prison where you guessed it, Jessie Gorman is incarcerated. Jesse begins to plan his revenge. Warden Morgan (Robert Keith) is sympathetic but unable to help. Brutal Captain Wells of the guards (Jay C. Flippen) is less sympathetic.
Billy's cell mates Jorge Gomez (George J. Lewis) is a former revolutionary, Frank Taggart (Arthur Hunnicutt) is doing a 50 year stretch and Virgil Gates (Whit Bissell) in for 2 yrs for arson are sympathetic and show Billy the ways of prison life.
The movie becomes unbelievable when glamorous Abby turns up as a prisoner in a 500 men prison for no particular reason other than to provide a competitive love interest for Gorman and Reynolds.. Gorman tries to kill Reynolds but fails. He begins to plan his escape from the prison along with cell mates "Red" (William Phillips) and Joe (Earl Holliman).
Reynolds winds up in solitary as Gorman effects his escape with guns smuggled inside water cans. Abby fearing that Gorman has lost it, steals the keys to the solitary cells and frees Reynolds. Gorman meanwhile, has begun releasing the prisoners. Reynolds makes his way to the gatling gun perched on the prison wall and overpowers the guard (Paul Fix) and ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Why they called this film "Devil's Canyon" when there is no such place mentioned in the movie is beyond me. They usually reserved such license for "B" westerns where the titles often bore no relationship to the story.
The story begins in a town where ex-sheriff Billy Reynolds (Dale Robertson) sans six shooters, resides. Abby Nixon (Virginia Mayo) who despite her comments to the contrary, iis in love with Billy. She comes to warn him that the Gorman brothers (John Cliff, Fred Coby) are gunning for him. Abby it seems had been involved with Jessie Gorman (Stephen McNally) whom Billy had imprisoned.
Well you see there's a new law prohibiting gun fights and guess what? Billy straps on the guns and kills the brothers. He is immediately arrested by the sheriff (Morris Ankrum). Billy winds up against his protests, in State Prison where you guessed it, Jessie Gorman is incarcerated. Jesse begins to plan his revenge. Warden Morgan (Robert Keith) is sympathetic but unable to help. Brutal Captain Wells of the guards (Jay C. Flippen) is less sympathetic.
Billy's cell mates Jorge Gomez (George J. Lewis) is a former revolutionary, Frank Taggart (Arthur Hunnicutt) is doing a 50 year stretch and Virgil Gates (Whit Bissell) in for 2 yrs for arson are sympathetic and show Billy the ways of prison life.
The movie becomes unbelievable when glamorous Abby turns up as a prisoner in a 500 men prison for no particular reason other than to provide a competitive love interest for Gorman and Reynolds.. Gorman tries to kill Reynolds but fails. He begins to plan his escape from the prison along with cell mates "Red" (William Phillips) and Joe (Earl Holliman).
Reynolds winds up in solitary as Gorman effects his escape with guns smuggled inside water cans. Abby fearing that Gorman has lost it, steals the keys to the solitary cells and frees Reynolds. Gorman meanwhile, has begun releasing the prisoners. Reynolds makes his way to the gatling gun perched on the prison wall and overpowers the guard (Paul Fix) and ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Why they called this film "Devil's Canyon" when there is no such place mentioned in the movie is beyond me. They usually reserved such license for "B" westerns where the titles often bore no relationship to the story.