Roughshod

Roughshod

Year: 1949

Runtime: 88 mins

Language: English

Director: Mark Robson

Western

“Sure I’m from the wrong side of town…that’s where I learned to handle guys like you!” Rancher Clay and his brother Steve ride across the Sonora mountain pass, chased by Lednov, an ex‑convict bent on revenge after Clay jailed him. They encounter a stranded stagecoach of dance‑hall girls—Mary, Marcia and Helen—and guide them to the nearest ranch, where Lednov finally catches up with Clay.

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Timeline & Setting – Roughshod (1949)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Roughshod (1949). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 19th century

The events unfold on the American frontier during the horse-and-wagon era, where small-town caution and long-distance travel define daily life. Cowboys, miners, and drifters move along dusty routes, facing sudden violence and fragile mercy. The period is marked by stark moral lines, where revenge and protection often clash.

Location

Aspen, Sonora

The story spans a rough frontier setting, beginning near the town of Aspen and moving along the Sonora trail toward a distant ranch. Aspen serves as a rough crossroads where locals warn of danger and new alliances form. The Sonora trail introduces harsh terrain, remote camps, and the constant presence of outlaws shaping the travelers' choices.

🏔️ Frontier town 🐎 Trail journey 🏚️ Ranch life

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:02

Main Characters – Roughshod (1949)

Meet the key characters of Roughshod (1949), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Jed Graham (Jeff Corey)

A protective friend of Clay who warns him about dangers ahead. Practical and loyal, Jed acts as a steady moral compass, balancing caution with courage. He embodies an older, grounded Western ethos that values loyalty and prudence.

🛡️ Loyal 🧭 Cautious 🤝 Protector

Mary Wells (Gloria Grahame)

A strong-willed leader among the stranded women, she challenges Clay's preconceptions with sharp wit and independence. Her resolve is paired with genuine compassion, making her influential in guiding the group's moral choices. Her presence complicates romantic expectations and pushes for broader empathy.

👩‍✈️ Strong-willed 🗺️ Independent 💬 Persuasive

Lednov (John Ireland)

The cold-blooded outlaw leader whose calculated brutality drives the pursuit. He exudes menace and uses fear to bend others to his will. His ruthless presence heightens the stakes and tests every character's limits.

⚔️ Villain 🗡️ Ruthless 🧭 Calculating

Ma Wyatt (Sara Haden)

Matriarch of the Wyatt family, she embodies the tension between duty and mercy. Her stance and guidance influence how the group negotiates Elaine's safety while preserving family honor. She represents traditional values pressed by harsh frontier realities.

👵 Matriarch 💖 Protective 🧭 Pragmatic

Pa Wyatt (James Bell)

The patriarch who grapples with the line between harsh justice and mercy toward his daughter Elaine. His actions reflect the frontier's hard moral code and familial duty. He embodies the difficulties of balancing love with law in a rough landscape.

👨‍👧 Family 🗺️ Traditional ⚖️ Principled

Marcia (Martha Hyer)

A lovestruck local who seeks stability and romance amid frontier hardship. Her wishes illuminate the pull between idealized love and the practical needs of survival. She exposes how longing can complicate ethical decisions on the road.

💘 Love 🥀 Longing 💭 Idealism

Fowler (Sean McClory)

A traveling companion whose reliability is uncertain. His presence adds tension to alliances on the road and reminds the group that trust can be fragile in a hostile environment. He contributes to the ensemble's dynamic with ambiguity and risk.

🧭 Unreliable 🗨️ Charmer 🐎 Traveler

Steve Phillips (Claude Jarman Jr.)

Clay's impulsive younger brother, eager for belonging and a sense of purpose. His loyalty is tested by danger, and his injuries lend emotional weight to the pursuit. He embodies a coming-of-age struggle within a violent frontier.

🧒 Youth 🛡️ Protective 💔 Wounded

Clay Phillips (Robert Sterling)

The hard-edged rancher who wants an orderly life but faces harsh frontier violence. He learns to soften his pride through Mary’s influence and to protect rather than merely control. His arc centers on reconciling personal dreams with the realities of danger.

🤠 Rancher 🧭 Pragmatic 💔 Change-seeker

Elaine Wyatt (Jeff Donnell)

Wyatt daughter, sick and pregnant, seeking safety along the trail. Her situation exposes the moral complexity of family and the consequences of a past she is entangled with. Her presence forces the group to weigh mercy against risk.

🤰 Pregnant 🧭 Vulnerable 🧡 Family

Jim Clayton (George Cooper)

A local figure encountered on the road and at the ranch, adding frontier authority and community texture. He represents the liquid boundary between law and rough justice in a small-town setting.

🏠 Local 🛡️ Authority 👥 Community

Peters (Steve Savage)

An on-screen pursuit figure who embodies law and order amid the chase. His role underscores the constant pressure to uphold justice in a volatile landscape.

🚓 Deputy 🕵️ Lawful 🧭 Pursuer

Helen Carter (Myrna Dell)

A vulnerable woman who vanishes after Lednov's arrival, highlighting the dangers the group faces in hostile territory. Her disappearance emphasizes the ever-present threat of predation and the fragility of safety.

🚺 Victim 🧭 Dangerous 🕯️ Mystery

Deputy (uncredited) (Chuck Roberson)

A brief lawman presence that adds to the pursuit’s sense of order in a lawless land. His appearance reinforces the constant tension between pursuit and protection on the road.

🚓 Deputy 🕵️ Lawful 🗺️ Pursuer

McCall (Robert B. Williams)

A secondary figure encountered along the journey, contributing to the frontier’s world-building and the layer of local color surrounding the main cast.

🏷️ Local 🛡️ Authority 👥 Community

Sheriff Gardner (Ed Cassidy)

The official law figure who appears at moments of tension, representing the tenuous hold of order in a volatile Western landscape.

🕵️ Law 🏛️ Authority 🗺️ Frontier

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:02

Major Themes – Roughshod (1949)

Explore the central themes of Roughshod (1949), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

✨ Redemption

Characters confront past mistakes and seek a second chance on the road. Clay learns to temper his rigid dreams with mercy for others, including his brother Steve and Mary. The pursuit of revenge gradually softens into a chance for rebuilding trust and choosing a better future.

🤝 Prejudice

Burdens of judgment weigh on how the group treats Elaine and the other women, revealing the dangers of narrow-minded thinking. Mary challenges Clay’s preconceived notions about a loved one’s past, forcing him to reassess what truly defines a person. The narrative argues that understanding can bridge deep-seated biases.

⚔️ Violence

Outlaw brutality drives the plot and tests every character's resolve. The film juxtaposes brutal confrontations with moments of care and courage, highlighting how violence reshapes relationships. The final showdown raises questions about vengeance, protection, and the costs of living by a frontier code.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:02

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Roughshod Summary

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Roughshod Timeline

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