Tribute to a Bad Man is a 1956 western film starring James Cagney about a rancher whose harsh enforcement of frontier justice alienates the woman he loves. It was directed by Robert Wise and based on the short story "Hanging's for the Lucky" by Jack Schaefer, the author of Shane. Rustlers rob horses belonging to wealthy Wyoming rancher Jeremy Rodock and shoot him. He is found by young cowboy Steve Miller, who digs out the bullet, saves Rodock's life and is offered a job at the ranch. Rodock believes in lynching rustlers personally without arrest or trial. His wrangler McNulty describes it as... "a hanging sickness" to Rodock's woman, Jocasta Constantine, a former dance-hall girl ashamed of her past. McNulty makes a pass at Jo. A jealous and suspicious Rodock sees them leave a barn together and jumps to the wrong conclusion. He fires McNulty, then beats him viciously before ordering him off the ranch. Rodock sets out to find the men who stole his stock and murdered Whitey, a ranch hand. He rides to former partner Peterson's spread and demands to know if Peterson and son Lars were involved.
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| Release date: | April 13, 1956 |
| Directed by: | Robert Wise |
| Rated: |  |
| Runtime: | 95 Minutes |
| Producer: | Sam Zimbalist |
| Adapted from: | Hanging's for the Lucky |
| Genre: | Western |