Tennesse (John Payne) is an old west gambler who co-owns a saloon (and bordello) with Elizabeth Farnham (Rhonda Fleming).  When Tennessee is ambushed after a poker game, he’s saved by a local man who goes by the name of Cowpoke (Ronald Reagan).  Tennessee and Cowpoke become fast friends but when Tennessee realizes that Cowpoke is about to marry a golddigger (Coleen Gray), Tennessee puts the woman on the next boat out of town.  Cowpoke vows to get vengeance but Tennessee has bigger things to worry about.  Rival businessman Turner (Tony Caruso) has framed Tennessee for the murder of a local prospector, Grubstake McNiven (Chubby Johnson).

Very loosely based on a short story by Bret Harte, Tennessee’s Partner has surprisingly high production values for a B-western.  Director Allan Dwan started his career in the 1910s and directed over 200 westerns.  He knew how to keep the action moving.  Tennessee’s Partner is also the only film that old friends John Payne and Ronald Reagan made together.  Reagan, whose days as a major studio leading man had ended by the time he made this film, gives one of his better performances in the role of the simple but honest Cowpoke and shows the likability that he was later able to translate into a political career.  Reagan could be a stiff actor but his naturally amiable manner made him perfect for best friend and sidekick roles, like in this movie.  Payne also gives a good performance as the gambler with a moral code.  However, the best thing about the film is Rhonda Fleming, giving a tough and sexy performance as Elizabeth.  Because this film came out in 1955, it couldn’t really come out and say that Elizabeth was a madam and the saloon was a bordello but Fleming’s performance and a few lines of innuendo left little doubt about what was actually going on upstairs from the bar.  Keep an eye out for Angie Dickinson, playing one of Elizabeth’s girls.

The performance elevate Tennessee’s Partner, making it a B-western that can be enjoyed even by people who aren’t necessarily into westerns.