Angel in Exile represents a one-time-only directorial collaboration between cult favorite Allan Dwan and B-western workhouse Philip Ford. Upon his release from jail, hardened criminal Charlie Dakin (John Carroll) heads to Mexico in search of his stolen gold, hidden in a mine shaft by Dakin's confederates. Posing as an honest prospector, Dakin mixes the gold with sand so that the local villagers will assume that he's merely coming up with the riches that were already in the mine. But the impoverished locals are overjoyed that the long-dormant mine has proved active once more, attributing this "miracle" to the town's guardian angel. Touched by the villagers' simple faith, Dakin reforms his evil ways-which is more than can be said for his less sentimental cohorts Max (Barton MacLane) and Carl (Paul Fix).