California (1947)

Ray Milland is Jonathan Trumbo, a man with a secret who’s hired to escort a wagon train of settlers to California.

Barbara Stanwyck is Lily Bishop, a dance hall girl who hitches a ride on the wagon train after being kicked out of town for her scarlet behavoir.

When word that gold has been found in California reaches the wagon train, most of the settlers abandon it, rushing west for fear of missing out.

That includes Lilly. But she and Trumbo both wind up in Farro City, a town ruled by Capt. Coffin.

Coffin has plans for Lilly that include marriage, even though he knows she doesn’t love him.

He has bigger plans for California, hoping to one day rule it as a private empire. That’s if he can keep the territory from entering the union.

Coffin knows Lilly has a soft spot for Trumbo. But he’s more concerned that Trumbo might interfere with those California dreams.

After all, Trumbo knows his secret. Coffin gained wealth running slaves from Africa to the United States.

Now he’s building on that wealth by charging miners exorbitant prices for supply; then running them off their land should they strike it rich.

Review:

Barry Fitzgerald has one of the best roles here, as a wine-maker turned politician to thwart Coffin’s efforts.

But the mating dance between Army deserter Trumbo and Lily hits lots of sour notes.

So does most of the film, which opens with a hopelessly outdated song singing the praises of the Golden State.

And the bit where Coffin is suddenly haunted by images of the slaves he used to ship across the ocean, just as Trumbo predicted he would be … well, it’s a bit much.

Surely, there’s little history in this wanna-be epic on the making of a state.

Directed by:
John Farrow

Cast:
Ray Milland … Jonathan Trumbo
Barbara Stanwyck … Lily Bishop
Barry Fitzgerald … Michael Fabian
George Coulouris … Capt. Coffin
Albert Dekker … Mr. Pike
Anthony Quinn … Don Luis Rivera
Frank Faylen … Whitey
Gavin Muir … Booth Pennock
James Burke … Pokey
Roman Bohnen … Col. Stuart
Argentina Brunetti … Elvira
Howard Freeman … Sen. Creel

Runtime: 97 min.

Memorable lines:

Trumbo to Lily, on their meeting: “I don’t care what baggage we carry, as long as the boys don’t fight over it.”

Trumbo, approaching Lily as she’s washing her hair: “What do you think you’re doing? That’s water.”
Lily: “I thought it was molasas.”
Trumbo: “Where do you think we get it? Whistle for it? There’s two day’s rations there and you’re washing your hair in it. Oughta make you drink it.”

Lilly, after beating Trumbo at cards: “Better stay on your horse after this, Trumbo. Makes you look a lot more important than you really are.”

Lilly: “You may think you’re pretty high and mighty, Trumbo, but let me tell you this. If I live long enough — and I will — I’m going to pull you down off that fancy horse of yours and push your face in the muck. So help me.”

Trumbo: “You talk like you own the place (a busy saloon in Sacramento).”
Lilly: “I do.”
Trumbo: “Maybe I shouldn’t ask how you got it.”
Lilly, smiling slyly: “How do you think I got it?”
Trumbo: “What I’m thinking, you wouldn’t like.”

Capt. Coffin: “Most men love the chains they wear. They need a master the way they need a mother. I’ve heard such talk from pulpits: that the meek shall inherit the earth. No, Mr. Trumbo, the earth belongs to the men who make the law. And the law belongs to the men who can lay it down.”

Lilly, after Coffin knocks her derringer off target as she prepares to plug Trumbo: “Why did you do it? Why did you do it?”
Capt. Coffin: “Because I knew you’d cry over him after.”

Capt. Coffin, when Trumbo turns down his offer to work together: “You may not know it, Mr. Trumbo, but you just made a very dangerous decision.”
Trumbo: “You may not know it, captain, but from this minute on, I’m going to start crowding you. And I’m going to keep crowding you til I’ve pushed you right into the Pacific.”

George Coulouris as Capt. Coffin discussing complications with Pike (Albert Dekker), his right-hand man in California (1947)