In 1880, Pete Carver is part of a gang that robs a train of gold. They flee to a cave, where a posse chases and kills all of them except Pete, who insists he does not know where the gold is. Pete is sent to prison. Fifteen years later, Pete is let out of prison. He is tracked by Wells Fargo agent Dobbs who believe Pete will go and find the gold.
The film was based on original story by Elizabeth Wilson of Arizona. She also wrote the script. Filming was to have begun in February 1951 with Howard Duff in the lead.[4] Duff injured his leg and was replaced by Macdonald Carey. The start date was pushed back to 26 March 1951.[5]
The cave scenes were shot at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico in April. The caves remained open to the general public during the day and the unit filmed at night.[6]
Castle wrote that "we lived underground like moles" and that "there was little excitement about the whole project."[7]
