Panhandle (1948)

Panhandle (1948)

„Panhandle“ is a 1948 Western film directed by Lesley Selander from a screenplay by John C. Champion and Blake Edwards.

John Sands, formerly a Texas marshal whose talents with guns caused the law to turn against him, is a fugitive in a Mexican border town, and has become a respected storekeeper. One day, a customer, Jean „Dusty“ Stewart, tells him that her father is one of several people who were recently murdered in the Texas town of Sentinel. She also mentions that the town’s outspoken newspaper owner, Billy Sands, was killed, unaware that Billy was John’s brother.

En route to Sentinel, John stops to buy a fresh horse and is spotted by a sheriff who knows him from his outlaw days. The sheriff tries to arrest him, but John shoots him in the hand. As he approaches Sentinel, John is attacked by three gunmen working for Matt Garson, owner of the Last Frontier Saloon, who is planning to become boss of the entire Texas panhandle. John outrides them.

Later, in Sentinel, checks into the Blue Belle Hotel, where he meets June O’Carroll, Garson’s secretary. John is soon approached by three of Sentinel’s leading citizens, who want to hire him to clean up the town and drive Garson from the area, and John promises to think it over.

After an encounter with Garson’s hired gun, Floyd Schofield, John walks June back to her home, provoking Garson’s jealousy.

The next day, John rides out to the Stewart ranch and reveals to Dusty that he is Billy’s brother. She tells John that she and Billy were to be married and shows him his grave.

Later, John is shot at by Schofield but when John confronts Schofield about it at the saloon, Garson supplies him with an alibi, provoking John to brawl with Jack, another Garson henchman. After John escorts June to Sunday mass, Garson tells him to leave town. June then tells Garson she wants nothing more to do with him and quits. When Schofield challenges John to a shootout in front of the saloon, John kills him and two others. John then has a final showdown with Garson, who he has determined was responsible for Billy’s death, and with June’s help, kills him. Later, John promises to return to June after he clears himself with the law.

Cast:

• Rod Cameron – John Sands
• Cathy Downs – Jean „Dusty“ Stewart
• Reed Hadley – Matt Garson
• Anne Gwynne – June O’Carroll
• Blake Edwards – Floyd Schofield
• Jeff York – Jack
• Rory Mallinson – Sheriff Jim
• Dick Crockett – Elliott Crockett
• James Harrison – Harland
• Alex Gerry – Raven McBride
• Billy Wayne – Gambler
• Francis McDonald – Crump
• Henry Hall – Wells
• Stanley Andrews – Tyler
• J. Farrell MacDonald – Doc Cooper
• Charles La Torre – Juan
• Trevor Bardette – Barber Customer
• Ivan Bell – Barfly
• Buck Bucko – Barfly
• Roy Bucko – Barfly
• Rube Dalroy – Barfly
• Neal Hart – Barfly
• Ray Jones – Barfly
• Mathew McCue – Barfly
• Jack Perry – Barfly
• Bud Rae – Barfly
• Jack Roper – Barfly
• Herman Hack – Bartender
• Artie Ortego – Bartender
• Cap Somers – Bartender
• Charles Judels – Botticelli, Barber
• Billy Kimbley – Boy at Hotel
• Wheaton Chambers – Cabot
• John Frawley – Cowhand
• Lew Morphy – Ed
• Guy Teague – Heavy
• Wally Walker – Hotel Clerk
• Anthony Warde – Kenney
• Tom Fadden – Mac, Horse Seller
• Rosa Turich – Mexican Woman
• Herbert Heywood – Neill
• Ben Corbett – Old Man
• Lee „Lasses“ White – Old Man Bush
• Hank Patterson – Old Timer
• Tony Roux – Pedro, Mexican at Road Station
• Frank Mayo – Poker Player
• Tom Monroe – Poker Player
• Louis Mason – Pop Jenkins
• Charles Jordan – Rancher
• Frank Dae – Regan
• Frank J. Scannell – Sandy
• Tex Driscoll – Townsman
• Art Felix – Townsman
• Michael Gaddis – Townsman
• Elias Gamboa – Townsman
• George Morrell – Townsman
• Charles Soldani – Townsman
• Tina Menard – Townswoman
• Bud Osborne – Wagon Train Driver

„Der Rächer von Texas“ (Panhandle) ist ein Western von 1948 unter der Regie von Lesley Selander nach einem Drehbuch von John C. Champion und Blake Edwards.

Ein ehemaliger Revolverheld umwirbt zwei Frauen, um seinen Bruder zu rächen, der Opfer eines betrügerischen Spielers wurde.
Der ehemalige texanische Marshal John Sands wird Rancher, wendet sich aber dem Schießsport zu, um zu beweisen, dass der Saloonbesitzer Matt Garson seinen Bruder, einen Zeitungsmann, umbringen ließ. Auf der Suche nach Gerechtigkeit und Rache stellt sich Sands gefährlichen Gegnern und überwindet tückische Hindernisse in einem Showdown mit hohem Einsatz im Wilden Westen. Mit Verbündeten und unerschütterlicher Entschlossenheit deckt Sands die Wahrheit hinter dem Mord an seinem Bruder auf, um seiner Familie Gerechtigkeit widerfahren zu lassen und den Frieden in der Grenzstadt Panhandle wiederherzustellen.