A trio of masked bandits rob a stagecoach secretly assisted by one of the passengers.

The commander of the US Cavalry fort who is friendly with the Navajo chief is caught in the middle.

After he was accused of Communist leanings, RKO ordered DaSilva's scenes reshot with Brian Donlevy.

[4] Like High Noon, Slaughter Trail has continuing ballads throughout the film that ask and answer questions as well as narrate the story.

[5] It may be debated whether the film was made "straight," or was satiric, due to the even then well known Western set pieces such as a stagecoach holdup, Indian attacks, and the army standing between hostile Indians and townspeople being commented on by songs that often break the fourth wall.