After robbing a bank Murphy assumes the identity of his pursuer, a famous US Marshal, when he stumbles into a town and is confronted by the local judge, Matthau. Murphy is forced to remain as the new Marshal; an old flame, Scala, nearly unmasks him by accident, only to be forced to assume the ruse of being Murphy's wife. The "couple" given a house and respectability, which neither has had before. They maintain the charade to avoid hurting a young orphan boy, Matthau's ward. Scala is torn by her loyalty to boyfriend planning to rob the bank and growing feelings for Murphy.
Not as action packed like Murphy's other westerns, which disappointed me the first time I watched it as the storyline of an outlaw mistaken for a lawman spelled "plenty of shoot 'em ups", but with a second viewing I found Ride the crooked trail an engaging mix of humour and romance with light interplay between characters. Audie and Gia Scala have a good chemistry. And it's all enjoyable, and keeps one watching.
Not as action packed like Murphy's other westerns, which disappointed me the first time I watched it as the storyline of an outlaw mistaken for a lawman spelled "plenty of shoot 'em ups", but with a second viewing I found Ride the crooked trail an engaging mix of humour and romance with light interplay between characters. Audie and Gia Scala have a good chemistry. And it's all enjoyable, and keeps one watching.