Black Spurs 1965

Santee Rory Calhoun becomes a bounty hunter to earn enough money to marry Anna Elkins Terry Moore, the woman he loves. But when he returns home to Kile, Kansas, he learns she has married Ralph Elkins James Best, a sheriff, and left town.

Santee hatches a plan with land baron Gus Kile Lon Chaney Jr. to tarnish the town of Lark’s reputation so that the railroad scheduled to serve that town would instead run toward Kile’s interests. To push his scheme, he arranges for Sadie Linda Darnell, a brothel madam, and her girls to come to Lark, drawing a cloud of scandal over the community. Reverend Tanner Scott Brady and the other townsfolk are appalled by the intrusion and the disruption it brings.

Unknown to Santee, Lark is Anna’s new hometown and that her husband is the town’s sheriff.

Things quickly spiral out of control in Lark: the sheriff is tarred and feathered, and Pastor Tanner’s right arm is broken for relentlessly ringing the church bell. Santee begins to rethink his plan and changes sides. He learns from Anna that her young son, Chad, is actually his own child, who has been adopted by Ralph Elkins. With the help of the sheriff and Pastor Tanner, he works to clean up the community and set things right.

After the town starts to heal, Santee offers to help with Chad’s welfare financially. Anna says no, that help isn’t necessary, but she allows that gifts can be sent to the boy as his Uncle Santee, with the understanding that he will keep his secret from Chad. Santee leaves Lark feeling that his future may still include serving as a sheriff in another town that needs him.