Rocky Mountain (1950)

Errol Flynn stars as Capt. Lafe Barstow, a Confederate officer sent to start an uprising in California with hopes of luring a Union Army to the West and relieve some of the pressure on Gen. Lee’s troops.

He leads a small band of eight men, who hole up at a mountain water hole, awaiting the ruffians who are to take part in their California escapade.

Meanwhile, they rescue a lovely lady (Patrice Wymore as Johanna Carter) from a stagecoach under attack by Indians; then capture her fiance (Scott Forbes as Lt. Rickey) and his men when they come looking for her.

One of Lt. Rickey’s Indian scouts slips away. Later, Lt. Rickey does too. And Barstow’s men learn the reinforcements they’re waiting for won’t be coming.

Instead, they face an imminent attack by a large band of Indians.

At that point, Barstow and his men decide to make one last heroic charge, leading the Indians away from the woman and the stagecoach driver so they can escape to safety.

The only question: Will it be a suicide charge?

Errol Flynn as Capt. Lafe Barstow, pondering post-war possibilities with Johanna Carter in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Patrice Wymore as Johanna Carter, heading West to meet her fiance when the Indians attack the stagecoach in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Review:

Excellent little film that makes a fine final Western for Flynn and is reminiscent of his heroic stand in “They Died with Their Boots On.”

The movie benefits from a fine supporting cast, including Western character actors Slim Pickens (as Plank) and Shel Wooley (as Rawlins) in their film debuts. Dickie Jones has a featured role as a teenager forced to grow up fast by war, though he knows little about women and drags a “useless pup” named Spot with him everywhere he goes. He’d later star in a pair of Western TV series — “The Range Rider” and “Buffalo Bill Jr.”

Flynn was engaged when shooting began, but fell in love with his co-star. Before the year was out, Patricia Wymore would become the third Mrs. Errol Flynn. He was 41 when they married in October 1950; she was 23. They were still married, though separated, when he died in 1959; they had one daughter together.

Slim Pickens as Plank, one of the frontiersmen riding with Barstow’s Rebel patrol in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Dickie Jones as Jimmy ‘Buck’ Wheat, asking Johanna Carter to look after his dog Spot in Rocky Mountain (1960)

Directed by:
William Keighley

Cast:
Errol Flynn … Capt. Lafe Barstow
Patrice Wymore … Johanna Carter
Scott Forbes … Lt. Rickey
Guinn Williams … Pap Dennison
Dickie Jones … Jim “Buck” Wheat
Slim Pickens … Plank
Chubby Johnson … Gil Craigie
Howard Petrie … Cole Smith / California Beal
Robert “Buzz” Henry .. Kip Waterson
Sheb Wooley … Kay Rawlins
Peter Coe … Piere Duchesne
Rush Williams … Jonas Weatherby
Nakai Snez … Chief Man Dog

Runtime: 90 min.

Howard Petrie as Cole Smith, the man who’s supposed to rendevous with Barstow’s men in a last ditch effort to save the South in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Scott Forbes as Lt. Rickey, realizing he’s fallen into a Confederate trap in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Memorable lines:

Capt. Barstow, to a wounded man: “How’s the arm?”
One of his men: “Just a scratch. They must be Yankee Indians, the way they shoot.”

One of Barstow’s men, as he watches the stage driver sleep peacefully: “Sure must be a restful feeling, to be neutral.”
Barstow: “Next war, let’s try it.”

Pap Dennison, as Jimmy picks up a plate of food: “Where you goin’, Jimmy?”
Jimmy “Buck” Wheat: “Thought the lady might like her supper.”
Pap: “What do you know ’bout girls?”
Jimmy: “Nuthin’, ‘cept they must get hungry, too.”

Pap Dennison: “Reckon those buzzards have lost something around here?”
Plank: “Looks a little like they don’t believe we’re leavin’.”
Pap: “Never did like those things studyin’ on me. Taint because the buzzards know what they’re doin’. But it brings the question to mind: Do I know what I’m doin’?”

Barstow, just before the final charge: “They’ve seen our backs. Now let’s show them our faces.”

Sheb Wooley as Kay Rawlins, keeping a close eye on Johanna Carter (Patrice Wymore) in Rocky Mountains (1950)

Chubby Johnson as Gil Craigie, the stagecoach driver who winds up on the mountain with Lafe Barstow and his men in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Robert Buzz Henry as Kip Waterson, one of Barstow’s men, writing a letter to the son he hasn’t had yet in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Peter Coe as Pierre Duchesne, one of Barstow’s men, preparing to spring a trap on a Union patrol in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams as Pap Dennison, the old-timer among Barstow’s band in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Chubby Johnson as Gil Craige and Rush Williams as Jonas Weatherby, one of Barstow’s men, in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Patrice Wymore as Johanna Carter, casting an angry glance Barstow’s way as he prepares to spring a trap on her fiance, Scott Forbes as Lt. Rickey in Rocky Mountain (1950)

Howard Petrie as Cole Smith and Errol Flynn as Capt. Lafe Barstow, watching Indian trouble approach in Rocky Mountain (1950)