Rudolphe Maté directs the western The Violent Men, based on the novel Rough Company by Donald Hamilton. Edward G. Robinson plays Lee Wilkison, the bad-guy owner of Anchor Ranch with a plan to buy out all the smaller ranches to gain control of the valley. Barbara Stanwyck plays his wife Martha, who secretly has an affair with his brother, Cole (Brian Keith). Meanwhile, Cole hangs out with hired gun Wade Matlock (Richard Jaeckel) and his other girlfriend, Elena (Lita Milan). Glenn Ford plays ex-military man John Parrish, the good-guy small ranch owner who is willing to sell until one of his ranch hands turns up dead. He fights back with a vengance using his military training and sets his eyes on Wilkison's daughter, Judith (Dianne Foster).