“Well, alright, but if I’m going to be holy, I gotta get some fun out of it.” —Quirt Evans
Today’s quick review: Angel and the Badman. When Quirt Evans (John Wayne), an infamous outlaw, is injured in a gunfight, Penelope Worth (Gail Russell), a kind young woman from a Quaker family, nurses him back to health. Over the course of his convalescence, Quirt and Penelope fall in love, and Quirt considers hanging up his gun belt for good. But his newfound pacifism is put to the test when his old rival Laredo Stevens (Bruce Cabot) comes for him.
Angel and the Badman is a classic Western romance about an outlaw who puts his violent way of life behind him for the sake of a kind-hearted woman. The movie follows Quirt and Penelope as they fall in love, search for common ground, and deal with the consequences of Quirt’s checkered past. Angel and the Badman strikes a nice balance with its characters and its story, making it a pleasant watch that explores some interesting moral themes.
The core of the movie is Quirt being tempted away from his life of violence and into a way of living that is more wholesome. His development happens in stages, beginning with simple gratitude for the family that saved his life and growing into a genuine appreciation for them as people. For all of his faults, Quirt is never shown to be beyond redemption, and he has a noble streak that only increases as he spends more time with Penelope.
For her part, Penelope is a kind but sheltered young woman who introduces Quirt to a new way of thinking. Her love for Quirt starts off as infatuation, but as Quirt begins to reciprocate, it grows into something more enduring. Gail Russell and John Wayne are well paired, and they both do a skillful job of conveying their affection for one another. The relationship between the two is not perfect, but it’s certainly enough to build a story around.
Angel and the Badman will appeal to fans of the classics, in particular the idealistic side of the Western genre. Its action is more limited than other Westerns, and it spends most of its efforts on moral themes and romance. This can make it a shaky pick for fans looking for bigger thrills or more lurid drama. But for those interested in what it has to offer, Angel and the Badman is a charming movie that accomplishes what it sets out to do.
For John Wayne in a similar style of romance, try Hondo. For a crime comedy about a family of criminals trying to be good, try The Family.
[6.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039152/). I give it a 7.0 for strong leads and a pleasant story.