Hellfire (1949)

**_Old Western is offbeat enough to make it worthwhile_** A penitent gambler in the Old West (Bill Elliott) hooks up with a wanted female outlaw (Marie Windsor), evidently with the hope of reforming her. Unfortunately, his marshal friend (Forrest Tucker) is hot on her trail. "Hellfire" (1949) is a little too talky with some dull moments, but at least it’s not shallow and develops the characters. The spiritual commentary may be a little corny, but it’s refreshing and the ending involving Psalm 23 is genuinely moving. Plus, it’s interesting to see how far back you can trace the strong, independent female character (I’d say “femme fatale,” but that doesn’t actually fit). Speaking of which, if a woman in the Old West could learn to master the art of gunmanship, she automatically became an equal to any man, no more having to endure unwanted groping and advances as a saloon girl. The flick should be commended for stressing this, not to mention statuesque Marie Windsor is entertaining. It runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot at Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, with second unit stuff done in Sedona, Arizona. GRADE: B-