A case of mistaken identity leads to "Cooper" (Clint Eastwood) nearly being killed by angry townspeople who believe he’s murdered someone. He escapes this violent situation thanks to deputy "Bliss" (Ben Johnson), who arrests him—for a proper hanging, at least. His luck doesn't end there; Judge "Fenton" (Pat Hingle) verifies his account and offers him a position as a lawman. The job isn’t about dispensing personal justice, but rather bringing those who attempted to kill him in for trial. While he seems agreeable to this task, it remains to be seen if they will cooperate. As he settles back into a law enforcement role, "Cooper" becomes entangled in other perilous situations and develops feelings for the persistent "Rachel" (Inger Stevens), who carries her own difficult past. At first glance, this might seem like just another standard western focused on revenge, but Eastwood and Hingle contribute something extra as they attempt to incorporate legal principles into a community still largely governed by survival of the fittest. The movie allows us some insight into the motivations of several of the vigilantes, suggesting that they weren’t quite as ruthless as initially portrayed—an effort is made to flesh out their characters. However, the film's production values aren't particularly impressive; I distinctly recall spotting a car in one scene, and the studio sets feel very generic. Nevertheless, Eastwood brings his understated brand of integrity to his character, leading up to an ending that’s foreseeable in its result but not entirely so in how it unfolds.

Source on TMDB