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Black Gold is a 1962 Western film directed by Leslie H. Martinson and starring Philip Carey, Diane McBain, and James Best. The movie is set in the early 1900s, focusing on a Texas town that becomes the center of attention following the discovery of oil. The plot follows a rancher named Frank McCurdy (Philip Carey) who strikes oil on his land along with his partner and cousin, Joe. Their success leads to tension with the neighboring ranchers, who are jealous of their newfound wealth. One of these ranchers is Danzel (James Best), who is determined to stop McCurdy from extracting the oil and building a refinery in the town.

Things come to a head when Danzel hires a gunfighter named Shaw (Claude Akins) to intimidate McCurdy and Joe, but the situation quickly escalates into a full-blown feud. At the same time, McCurdy's fiancée, Cathy (Diane McBain), who has her own reservations about the oil industry, is caught in the middle of the conflict.

As tensions rise and violence breaks out, the central theme of the movie becomes the struggle between tradition and progress. While McCurdy sees oil as a means to modernize and improve the town, the other ranchers fear losing their way of life and the destruction of their community.

The film is beautifully shot, with a focus on sweeping landscapes and the wide-open spaces of the West. The score, composed by Hans J. Salter, perfectly captures the mood of the film, from the wide-eyed optimism of McCurdy to the darker, more brooding tones of the feud.

One of the standout performances in the movie comes from James Best, who plays the role of Danzel with a quiet intensity. Best delivers a nuanced performance that perfectly captures the character's inner conflicts and motivations.

Despite being a Western, Black Gold is not a shoot-'em-up action flick. Rather, it's a more thoughtful examination of the impact of progress and modernization on traditional communities. As such, the film could be seen as a commentary on the civil rights movement and the larger societal changes taking place in America at the time.

Overall, Black Gold is a well-crafted and engaging film that still holds relevance today. It's a testament to the power of cinema to explore complex themes and bring them to a wider audience.

Black Gold is a 1962 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.4.