California Conquest (1952)

Cornel Wilde is Don Arturo Bordega, a Mexican who has settled in California.

He would like nothing more than to see his adopted home become a territory of the United States and has saved up money to buy guns if they’re necessary to make that happen.

He’s in for disappointment when John C. Fremont visits he and like-minded Californians. The U.S. will not use its military might to annex California, Fremont makes clear.

As a result, Bordega fears it’s more likely to fall under Russian control. Indeed, the Russian Czar is interested and has allies in bandit leader Jose Martinez and another wealthy landowner named Fredo Brios.

Bordega falls for a young American girl (Teresa Wright as Jillie Lawrence). When her father is killed and a shipment of guns stolen from his shop, Bordega knows Martinez is responsible, he just doesn’t know who Martinez is working for.

So he infiltrates the gang — Jillie tags along, of course — in order to find out which nation Martinez and Brios are aligned with.

Cornel Wilde as Don Arturo Bordega, a Californian hoping the territory will be annexed into the U.S. in California Conquest (1952)

Teresa Wright as Julia Lawrence, determined to track down her father’s killer, whether it’s womanlike or not, in California Conquest (1952)

Review:

Not surprisingly, the film was made at the height of the Cold War; it’s only very loosely based on fact.

It’s more silly than anything, with Wilde smiling his way through one danger after another. Of course, he objects to taking Jillie along on the mission at first and constantly reminds her she should be wearing dresses instead of the pants she prefers.

But she proves just as adept at foiling the plans of Martinez and his allies as Don Aturo Bordega. She saves him from the bullwhip at one point by wrestling a gun from Martinez, then helps him push a wagon loaded with powder into the enemy lines during the climatic showdown.

The snappy dialogue between Jillie and Don Arturo earns it a star; he winds up teasing her about the 14 children they’re going to have together. The ridiculous performance by typically annoying Alfonso Bedoya subtracts one. Lisa Ferraday plays the Russian countess who sets up home in California as part of the plot to claim the territory.

Alfonso Bedoya as Jose Martinez, a bandit who strikes out against those wanting the U.S. to annex California in California Conquest (1952)

John Dehner as Fredo Brios, a man secretly aligned with Russian diplomats interested in California in California Conquest (1952)

Directed by:
Lew Landers

Cast:
Cornel Wilde … Don Arturo Bordega
Teresa Wright … Jillie Lawrence
Alfonso Bedoya … Jose Martinez
Lisa Ferraday … Helena de Gagarine
Eugene Iglesias … Ernesto Brios
John Dehner … Fredo Briso
Hank Patterson … Sam Lawrence
Ivan Lebedef … Alexander Rotcheff
Tito Renaldo … Don Bernardo Mirana
Renzo Cesana … Fray Lindos
Baynes Barton … Igna’co
Rico Alaniz … Perro
Billy Wilkerson … Fernando
Edward Colmans … Juan Junipero
Alex Montoya … Juan

Runtime: 78 min.

Eugene Inglesias as Ernesto Brios, a man who hopes to become governor of a Russian-aligned California in California Conquest (1952)

Hank Patterson as Sam Lawrence, a gunmaker telling his daughter about Fremont’s planned visit in California Conquest (1952)

Memorable lines:

Jillie to Bordega: “If this wagon blows up while we’re pushing, I just want you to know I love you.”

Don Arturo: “One must look at governments with the eye of a connoisseur, Juan.
A government is like food. Put in the right ingredients, and you have a dish that sits well on everyone’s stomach.”
Juan: “Si, Don Arturo.”
Don Arturo: “The wrong things can make a country sick. Put in a pinch of something good here, a pinch of something else here, another pinch here, and what have you got?”
Juan: “Enchiladas?”

Cornel Wilde as Don Arturo Bordega and Teresa Wright as Julia Lawrence, discovering her father dead in California Conquest (1952)

Lisa Ferraday as Helena de Gagarine, conspiring to claim put part of California under Russian control in California Conquest (1952)

Don Arturo, to Jillie, about her tendency to wear pants: “May I ask you a personal question?”
Jillie: “Go ahead.”
Don Arturo: “Why were you wearing those horrible things you had on when I first met you?”
Jillie: “They cover me, don’t they?”
Don Arturo: “That’s the trouble. Too well.”
Jillie: “Don’t bother to dwell on it.”

Jillie, as she joins with Don Arturo on his undercover adventure: “You’re only to think of me as a man.”
Don Arturo: “I’ll think of you only as my grandmother.”
Jillie: “That’ll be fine. Thanks.”
Don Arturo: “When she talks, she don’t make sense either. I don’t understand one word you are saying.”

Jillie, once she and Don Arturo reach Monterey: “I’m going in to. That place looks better though.”
Don Arturo, disguised as a peasant: “The hotel? Huh, peons do not go into hotels, mi amiga.”
Jillie: “My father always said, ‘Little one, hitch your wagon to a star. Fine star.”

George Eldredge as Capt. John C. Fremont, making it clear the U.S. won’t annex California by force in California Conquest (1952)

Cornel Wilde as Don Arturo Bordega, trying to prevent Julia Lawrence (Teresa Wright) from putting a bullet into Jose Martinez in California Conquest (1952)