Blood on the Moon (1948), directed by Robert Wise.
A lone rider drifts into a tense situation, distrusted by all sides. This is more than your standard range war, having uncommon levels of deception and calculated villainy. Two sisters, daughters of the cattleman, have lot to say about what is happening.
It's just a small Western but well done. Often called "psychological" and "noir-influenced" it still has a good amount of riding, shooting and sweaty brawling.
Points of interest:
Robert Mitchum, of course.
Have to see everything directed by Robert Wise.
It is surprising to see Barbara Bel Geddes and Phyllis Thaxter in a Western.
Other familiar faces: Robert Preston, Walter Brennan, Charles McGraw.
As always, outstanding cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca, one of the great light and shadow photographers.
If you see a lot of RKO films you will notice the combination of Musuraca on camera and Roy Webb as composer. They did 76 films together. I presume they knew each other but I don't know if there would have been a working relationship in those days.
Mitchum gets beat up so much in his RKO films that I wonder if young Brando was watching.
The editing makes the film look a little odd: quick cuts between real and fake horseback riding, location and studio shots, real panoramas and rear projection.
In my mind Phyllis Thaxter occupies a similar space with Laraine Day:
Available on Blu-ray.