Freckles (1960)

The fresh-faced Martin West is the eponymous, rootless, chap employed by a kindly lumber merchant to protect his harvest from thieves. He is a city boy with no experience and only one hand, so his task is not going to be easy! What now ensues is all pretty routine, and is rather annoyingly peppered by some songs from Jack Lambert's "Glockamorra" style Irish accent. The photography, though, is beautiful and there is a fair degree of authentic looking fisticuffs for our champion as he tries to contain the thieving aspirations of the aggrieved hoodlum "Barbeau" (Steve Peck) and his gang. Luckily, he befriends "Chris" (Carol Christensen) who provides a bit of inspiration and love interest before she deflates the young man by announcing she is leaving to go to college... It's quite an engaging story of courage in the face of ostensibly overwhelming odds, but the acting and writing are all just a bit too "nice". It's certainly an handsome film to look at, though.