Angel and the Badman (1947) review

Much-feared gunslinger Quirt Evans (John Wayne) - a former deputy for Wyatt Earp gone rogue - is severely injured and nursed to health by a Quaker family whose young daughter Penelope Worth (Gail Russell) becomes hopelessly fixated on him, but he struggles to leave his (supposedly) violent past behind him, and has to prepare for old acquaintance Laredo Stevens (Bruce Cabot) and his men coming after him.  The setup is pitifully basic (can love heal the brute?), Penelope's not so much a human being as a fan with goo-goo eyes, there's an unfortunate lack of action (with the exception of a bar fight) and the Marshal (Harry Carey) appears periodically to repeat the same thing ... that he plans on hanging Quirt.  The conclusion may be anti-climactic although it does fit the theme of the movie - it's just too bad director Grant (a long-time collaborator of Wayne's) doesn't have the finesse of some of the more commendable Western filmmakers (he isn't Howard Hawks).