The Deepwater Dimwits. Riding Shotgun was directed by Andre De Toth, with a screenplay by Thomas W. Blackburn based on the story “Riding Solo” penned by Kenneth Perkins. The cast includes Randolph Scott, Wayne Morris, Joan Weldon, Joe Sawyer, James Millican, Charles Bronson and James Bell. David Buttolph composed the music, and Bert Glennon handled the Warnercolor cinematography. Prior to his collaborations with Budd Boetticher that would establish him as a Western icon, Randolph Scott was consistently working within the genre. He made six films alongside Ray Enright and another six with Andre De Toth; these are all worthwhile for those who enjoy Westerns. The quality of their themes differs, but production values were generally solid, and there’s always Randy battling some rough or pretentious character, along with appealing location photography and, naturally, beautiful women. That's enough to satisfy fans who accept these films on their own terms. Does anyone else have something to contribute? In Riding Shotgun, Scott portrays Larry Delong, a man employed as a stagecoach guard, “riding shotgun.” However, he has a personal reason for the job; he’s searching for a notorious outlaw, Dan Marady (Millican), and intends to kill him. As expected, Marady appears, and Delong finds himself caught in a situation that quickly escalates out of control. By the time he returns to town, virtually everyone believes he's part of Marady’s violent gang. Hatred can make a person careless. The film then presents a scenario where Delong, who has been providing narration reminiscent of film noir (a clever David and Goliath observation), must essentially stand alone against the hostile townsfolk, as well as Marady and his men, led by the nervous gunman Pinto! (Bronson). The runtime is just under 75 minutes; it’s fast-paced, features Scott delivering some impressive action, and looks quite beautiful (which isn't surprising given Glennon's photography). Is it perfect? Absolutely not. Some of the acting around Scott is noticeably subpar (particularly from Morris and Millican), while Fritz Feld as the Cantina owner (who is also called Fritz) where Delong seeks refuge is incredibly irritating. Though Joan Weldon is bright and cheerful, she’s not an actress who can truly command a scene or inject it with energy. However, this kind of Western provides comfort for genre enthusiasts who occasionally want to unwind with some gunfights and escape from more serious films in the same category. 7/10

Source on TMDB