Lightning Jack

Lightning Jack Kane, a long-sighted Australian outlaw in the American West, lives with his horse Mate. When the rest of his gang is killed in a robbery gone wrong, Jack survives only to read in the newspaper that he was nothing next to the others. Frustrated at not being recognized as an outlaw, he tries a robbery on his own and ends up taking a young mute Ben Doyle as a hostage. He later learns that Ben, tired of never having been treated with respect because of his disability and his race, wishes to join him.

Jack attempts to teach Ben how to fire a gun and rob banks, with his first on-the-job training ending when Ben shoots himself in the foot. During their training, they visit saloons where Jack exposes Ben to the rough realities of adult life, including helping him to lose his virginity. Yet the real purpose of these visits is for Jack to connect with showgirl Lana Castel, who is secretly in love with him.

When Ben’s training is complete, the pair learn of a bank reputed to be heavily defended. Jack sees this as the test he’s waited for and they devise a plan to rob it. Everything seems to go smoothly until Jack discovers a rival gang is also aiming for the same bank. He wants to back out, but Ben has a plan of his own.

Ben quietly tips off the townspeople, who swarm the bank, catching the rival outlaws inside. The gang is arrested and the town celebrates, giving Jack and Ben the chance to slip into the bank and clean out the vault. Before leaving, Jack dives into the celebrations, making sure his grinning face is seen at the top of the town photo. By the time the true robbery is discovered, the two—and Lana—are gone, with a bounty on their heads and the entire country hunting them for the life Jack had always wanted.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:31