Straight from the Shoulder

Gail Pyne leaves her grandfather Jedediah’s lakeside cabin, where “Jed” manufactures rifles and bullets, to work with commercial artist Curt Hayden, a widower. In the parking garage of their office, Curt and Gail witness a gangland murder and robbery. Curt uses his talent as an artist to draw portraits for the police of the robbers, Baldy, Trim and Trigger Benson. Trigger Benson is arrested, but when Curt arrives at the courthouse to testify, Baldy and Trim shoot him, hoping to eliminate the witness. Curt survives, however, and gives testimony from his hospital bed, after which Gail convinces him to take his young son Johnny, to Jedediah’s cabin to recuperate. Curt reluctantly complies, and they all settle into the homey cabin. Johnny, who is jealous of Curt and Gail’s growing love for each other, becomes a fast friend of Jed, who promises to make a child-size rifle for him and teach him how to shoot, as he did for Gail. Unknown to Curt, the soap company for whom he is creating an advertisement is a front for Baldy and Trim, who, having knocked-off one of their accomplices, now plan to get rid of Curt. They use his correspondence to locate him. When Curt proposes to Gail, they decide to get married the next day. Jedediah locks up the house, and they all bundle into the car headed for the county seat. Johnny slips out of the car at the last minute unnoticed, unhappy over the prospect of a new mother, and stays behind at the cabin. No one notices his absence until they arrive at the minister’s. They decide to return to the cabin after they are married, but in the meantime, Baldy and Trim have infiltrated the house and are keeping a watchful eye on Johnny. When they are asleep, he manages to plug their guns up with bullet lubricant, but does not realize until it is too late that they still have handguns. Curt, Gail and Jedediah arrive in the morning to find Johnny in the grasp of one of the killers. Trim is knocked down by the backfire of his rifle when he tries to shoot, and Gail, an expert marksman, uses a rifle that Jed never got a chance to deliver and shoots Baldy, while Johnny is in his arms. Johnny is unharmed and has gained a new respect for his new mother. With the gangsters finally out of the way, they are now one happy family.