In comparison with John Wayne's other latter-day westerns, Cahill: United States Marshal seems pedestrian. George Kennedy is a greedy mean guy who gets Wayne's kids involved in a bank robbery, then leans on them when one double crosses him and hides the money.

Yet the film has some clever and entertaining touches, like Wayne's character and the villains' ingenious plan. John Wayne is always easy to watch; in this very personal film, he shows the human side to his character more than usual, and it makes it all the more involving.