Day of the Evil Gun

Warfield (Glenn Ford) is the dispassionate ex-gunslinger hired by his neighbor Forbes (Arthur Kennedy) to help him track down the Apache Indians who have kidnapped Forbes' wife and children. They employ Jimmy Noble (Dean Jagger), the eccentric scout who feigns feeble impedances by talking in rhyme. The three encounter torture, Indian attacks, and Confederates who masquerade as Union soldiers. The hardened gunslinger eventually keeps a level head while the even-tempered Forbes turns into a cold-blooded killing machine. Warfield and Forbes eventually complete their personality changes that lead to the inevitable western showdown.