"Rage at Dawn"
Movie Review

Reviewed by: Ed G. Lousararian

(1954) Randolph Scott, Forrest Tucker, Mala Powers, Denver Pyle, Kenneth Tobey, J. Carroll Naish, Edgar Buchanan Ray Teal, Myron Healey, Howard Petrie, William Forrest, Trevor Bardette, Chubby Johnson, Richard Garland, Ralph Moody, Guy Prescott, Phil Chambers

    Randolph Scott plays a Chicago special agent who infiltrates the Reno Brothers Gang by posing as a professional thief.
    Once Scott enlightens these scalawags that they don't know the "right way to pull a job," they put their trust in Scott and fall right into his trap.
    After shooting it out, the surviving Renos become surprise guest at their own party -- a lynching party, that is.
    Though the plot, directing, and script are amateurish, Rage at Dawn is one of the best of the worst B-Western movies.
    Randolph Scott is a lot of fun -- he's tough but amiable, and even funny, especially when he outsmarts his prey (Teal and Buchanan) by playing "ignorant."
    Denver Pyle and J. Carroll Naish are outstanding as the good and bad brothers, respectively. Forrest Tucker is the meanest of the mean, as he cremates a man alive, spits on an attorney, and menaces rival Randy to perfection.  Kenneth Tobey is sensational as Scott's partner-in-crime, and later a martyr for "the cause." When Tobey is gunned down, he drops to the ground and makes like a victim as few actors have done. What a pro!