Rock of Ages arrives in Warlock within Dmytryk’s outstanding adult Western. Warlock is a small community troubled by the presence of a gang led by Abe McQuown. The townspeople, decent and law-abiding, gather to decide on hiring Clay Blaisedell, a notorious gunslinger, as their Marshal. With his loyal friend Tom Morgan at his side, Blaisedell begins to restore order to the town, quickly taking over the gambling hall and dance parlor. However, things are seldom simple in a place like this; one of McQuown’s men (Johnny Gannon) chooses to reform himself and becomes sheriff. The situation grows more complex when a woman enters town, claiming that Blaisedell and Morgan were responsible for her lover's death! Combined with McQuown’s gang planning destructive retribution, Warlock and its diverse cast are headed toward a reckoning – one way or another. The storyline might seem familiar; the concept of a renowned gunslinger brought in to clean up a town has been explored before, sometimes successfully. What elevates Edward Dmytryk's directed (and produced) Western above many others is that it delves deeper than most genre films do. Blaisedell may be a dangerous gunfighter, but this is an era when a new breed of faster and more brutal cowboys exists, making his very presence essential to the unfolding events in Warlock. Every central character possesses multiple layers, there’s much happening that demands close attention, where tragedy looms large, and Dmytryk skillfully weaves all the story threads together with powerful results. Adapted by Robert Alan Aurthur from Oakley Hall's novel, Warlock features three outstanding performances from the male leads and a strong supporting cast. Henry Fonda (Blaisedell), Richard Widmark (Gannon), and Anthony Quinn (Tom Morgan) are all excellent, while Dorothy Malone, Dolores Michaels, Tom Drake, DeForest Kelly, Frank Gorshin (sadly uncredited), and Wallace Ford also deliver impressive portrayals of vital characters. My only minor criticism is that I would have appreciated more use of the Utah locations, courtesy of Joseph MacDonald’s Cinemascope Technicolor process; however, since the story mainly takes place within Warlock itself, some leniency is understandable. Over recent years, I've spent considerable time rewatching Western films, and I’ve been rewarded with a wealth of excellent adult-oriented pictures from directors such as Anthony Mann, Henry King, and Budd Boetticher. Few are as overlooked or forgotten as this first-rate effort from everyone involved; it is essential viewing for any serious fan of the genre. 9/10

Source on TMDB