The Secret of Convict Lake

Somewhat ponderous revenge-morality tale (allegedly true), set in the California mountains in 1871, about five escaped convicts who seek refuge in a hamlet where the women have been left to hold the fort while their menfolk are off prospecting. Ford, it turns out, is intent on killing Tierney's absent fiancé who in another life framed him for murder and vamoosed with some loot. Moves along quite nicely, with one of the convicts, a disturbed teenage rapist, pitchforked to death by the women, but as soon as Ford shaves off his wicked whiskers it becomes pretty obvious how things are going to turn out.