Roughshod is a 1949 black-and-white Western film starring Gloria Grahame and Robert Sterling and directed by Mark Robson.

[1][2][3] Three escaped convicts in prison garb, led by cold-blooded killer Lednov, ambush and murder three cowboys, taking their clothes and firearms.

They burn their prison garb in the smoldering camp fire, and the trio quickly rides on seeking revenge against a rancher named Clay Phillips, who once dogged Lednov all the way to Mexico and wounded him before turning him over to American authorities for a previous crime.

Early thirtyish Clay and young teenage brother Steve, are headed toward Sonora with a small herd of horses - which is all they've got.

Led by take-charge Mary, the four women are stuck on the Sonora trail with a broken wagon wheel.

Elaine, who is sick and evidently pregnant, flees when she hears Clay is leading the group to the nearest ranch to leave the girls in its owners' care.

Mary upbraids Clay for his narrow-mindedness, acknowledging that he can't think past his idealized future, of a Simon-pure dream wife in a spotted gingham dress.

Clay reluctantly accepts the pair again as passengers, and softens somewhat towards Mary as he accedes to her teaching his illiterate brother how to read along the way.