Audie Murphy is a rookie Texas Ranger assigned by Ranger Lieutenant Ken Tobey to accompany John McIntire to track down and apprehend noted badman Barry Sullivan. McIntire is killed, but Murphy takes him and they have one interesting journey back.
The film is kind of The Comancheros in reverse with a younger Texas Ranger bringing back an older outlaw. Like Stuart Whiteman with John Wayne, Sullivan is full of tricks and charm, but Murphy is up to it.
The whole film like The Comancheros depends on the chemistry between Murphy and Sullivan and they do it have it. It makes watching Seven Ways from Sundown good fun and you don't think about some glaring plot holes and some rather specious character motivation for the main and supporting characters.
The title comes from the fact Murphy's dad numbered rather than named his children. And Murphy's mom embellished the numbers with some additions, One for the money, Two for the show, etc.
Hey it could happen. I was in Fort Polk, Louisiana back in 1971 with a guy named John Twenty Five in basic training. Having seen this film in the theater way back when it was always on my mind during that rather grueling period of my life with Mr. Twenty Five.