The Lawless Breed

The Lawless Breed is a 1953 American Biographical crime western film produced and distributed by Universal-International, directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Rock Hudson and Julie Adams. The film is a romanticized story based on the life of outlaw John Wesley Hardin. Plot Wild West gunslinger and gambler John Wesley Hardin (Rock Hudson) is pardoned and released from a Huntsville, Texas prison in 1896, after serving 16 years of a 25-year sentence. He delivers a manuscript of his life, written during his incarceration, to a local printer, in the hopes of it being printed. The film's story is presented mostly as flashbacks, as the autobiography recounts Hardin's exploits outside the law. It tells of an upbringing by his preacher father (John McIntire), and his first love Jane (Mary Castle); in his reckless youth he finds solace from his complicated home life in gambling. However, he is introduced to the outlaw life when he shoots a man (Michael Ansara) in self-defense during a card game, and is soon on the run when authorities, and the man's notorious brothers (Hugh O'Brian, Lee Van Cleef, Glenn Strange), come gunning for him. He finds aid from a saloon girlfriend Rosie (Julie Adams) and his uncle John Clements (also played by McIntire). After Jane is killed in an accident outside his father's home, brought on by the pursuit and Hardin's desire to bring her with him, he and Rosie depart together. On the run across state lines and using aliases, they eventually wed and begin a normal life, and have a son just before he is finally tracked down, captured and sent to prison.