This one is good, but not great, although it had a lot going for it: beautiful color photography of the Southwest, fine Franz Waxman score (somewhat reminiscent of the one he did a year earlier for The Furies, another and superior western),good-lucking leads--two diminutive blonds, both of whom are enjoyably minimal in their expressiveness. However, they do not have quite the chemistry that Ladd had with Veronica Lake, another diminutive blonde. In addition, the script could be a little more inventive, but its slant on the actual historical figure of Quantrell is interesting, and John Ireland makes the most of his part. So the film never quite catches fire the way that The Furies does--and in moody black and white--but it's certainly worth a look.

Paramount has a fast-paced drama in this underrated, colorful western that has Union and Rebel soldiers clashing after the close of the Civil War. Alan Ladd stars as a rebel sympathizer and point man for General Quantrell who wants to carve out territory for the Confederacy in Colorado with the aid of wild Indian tribes. John Ireland, in one of his best roles, plays the renegade Southern general and Brett Sherwood and Quantrell remain on a collision course that results in a thrilling face-off in the film's final moments. The movie has plenty of shootings, claim-jumping, a lynching scene, Indian fights and a dusty, noisy battle where the soldiers fight at close quarters in well-staged cavalry action. Lizabeth Scott is good as Ladd's romantic interest as is Arthur Kennedy, always good at playing compromised characters. A solid cast of western supporting actors is on hand to keep the story moving at a good clip. Camera work and Franz Waxman's music are good.

Colorado territory: 1865. The American Civil War is drawing to a close. But on both sides hatred dies hard. Two men and a woman are caught up in these lawless days of murder and greed. Divided among themselves they face a common enemy: a gang of guerrilla raiders - led by the dreaded General Quantrell.

Red Mountain is an action western gem, its pulse voraciously ticking with vibrancy, the locations are not just stunning but play a part in hiking up the suspense that culminates in shootouts. It also contains some striking images: the close-up shot of spurs in the opening shot, the attempted lynching and Quantrill's hideout. Characterisation is solid - Alan Ladd is at the peak of his career, expertly balancing between good and grey areas, John Ireland eating up the scenery as the infamous rascal Quantrill, and Arthur Kennedy doing a good job, so is Lizabeth Scott as the love interest.

This exciting western, which I had seen many times on UK TV, ends with a brilliant showdown between Ladd and Ireland out in the open space, charging at each other with guns blazing .