Good Day for a Hanging 1959

Eddie Campbell, Robert Vaughn and two other members of an outlaw band watch a stagecoach as it travels toward a Nebraska town, riding ahead with two extra saddled horses. The stage carries two further gang members who plan to meet in town and rob the bank when it arrives. Ben Cutler, Fred MacMurray, the owner of the stage line, is about to wed Ruth Granger, Margaret Hayes, setting up a tense collision between love, loyalty, and law.

During the holdup, a bank teller is killed. Ben joins the posse to pursue the desperadoes. Laurie Cutler, Joan Blackman, Ben’s immature and foolish daughter, is in love with Eddie, who left town some time before and who does not fully concede that Eddie is truly bad. Eddie shoots and kills the town marshal—Marshal Hiram Cain, portrayed by Emile Meyer—and is himself wounded by Ben, after which Eddie is brought back to town to stand trial.

Ben, a former lawman who gave up the badge after his daughter’s birth, is offered a temporary job as marshal. Selby, Edmon Ryan, a publicity-seeking attorney, defends Eddie and implies that Ben’s decisive action against Eddie sprang from personal vengeance rather than justice. A heated fistfight ensues, and Ben earns the upper hand.

Eddie is found guilty on the strength of Ben’s eyewitness testimony. He weeps and begs for mercy, but the verdict stands. The townspeople grow concerned as Eddie’s manipulation of sympathy and charm threatens to sway them, and Ruth and Laurie begin to doubt Eddie’s remorse. In a desperate moment, Laurie tries to smuggle a gun to Eddie in his cell, but her father catches the attempt.

Ben rides to the state capital to plead for clemency after a broad plea from the townspeople. Just before his return, Eddie’s gang stages a dramatic breakout from jail. Laurie rushes to the jail with hopeful news that Eddie will not hang, only to be grabbed by a gang member. Eddie’s brutality comes to light when he slugs Laurie in front of the crowd, revealing his true nature. Ben arrives just in time and shoots Eddie as he flees, ending the confrontation atop the gallows.