El Paso (1949): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1949, El Paso is a western film directed by Lewis R. Foster, running about 103 minutes. “There was one law in El Paso ... you learned to kill quick ... if you wanted to live long!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Ex-confederate officer Clay Fletcher jumps at the chance to reunite with his once lady-friend, Susan Jeffers, when his father, Judge Fletcher, sends him on an errand to El Paso, Texas to get the signature of Susan's father, Judge Jeffers, on a legal document. Once there he finds the judge has become a drunk and a laughing stock, doing the bidding of local magnate Bert Donner and his running dog, Sheriff La Farge. Just as Clay starts straightening out the town's problems, events occur which force him to abandon the legal system and instead adopt the murderous tactics of a vigilante.

Who’s in it. El Paso stars John Payne as Clay Fletcher, Gail Russell as Susan Jeffers, Sterling Hayden as Bert Donner and George 'Gabby' Hayes as Pesky Tees, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.5/10, El Paso has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch El Paso page.

If you liked it. Fans of El Paso tend to enjoy The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Django Unchained, Once Upon a Time in the West and For a Few Dollars More.