King of the Wild Stallions (1959)

George Montgomery is Randy Burke, a hired hand working on a ranch owned by pretty Martha Morse, whose husband has died, leaving her to raise a rambunctious son on her own.

She’s in money trouble, too, and the lease on her grazing land is about to expire.

Complicating matters is the fact that it’s a prime piece of grazing land in an area that has been through a drought, meaning at least a dozen other ranchers have their eyes on the same piece of land.

They include Matt MacGuire (Emile Meyer), who has convinced the town banker not to give Martha a loan so he can gobble up her grazing rights and, perhaps, her ranch as well.

That’s where the king of the wild stallions — Black Lightning — comes into play. MacGuire wants the horse, and offers a $500 reward to anyone who can catch the stallion.

Coincidentally, that’s just what the lady needs to pay off her loan, so Montgomery and an old timer named Idaho (Edgar Buchanan) head off to capture Black Lightning.

In a fluke of luck, the son (Jerry Hartleben as Bucky) snags the stallion, planning to break him, then keep him for his own.

Of course, he’s been kept in the dark about the family’s financial woes.

George Montgomery as Randy Burke, trying to help Martha Morse save her ranch in King of the Wild Stallions (1959)

Edgar Buchanan as Idaho, one of Martha’s ranch hands, issuing a warning to MacGuire’s men in King of the Wild Stallions (1959)

Review:

The last of about two dozen Westerns that Montgomery starred in from 1948 through the end of the 1950s won’t go down as his worst or his best. The good news: If you watch, you’re unlikely to come away thinking you’ve wasted 76 minutes.

Edgar Buchanan’s performance helps. Diane Brewster certainly makes for a fetching widow. And, of course, there’s a romantic subplot between her characer and Montgomery’s.

He’s been wanting to marry her, but fears how it will look when the ranch is doing well and fears he has nothing to offer when it’s doing poorly.

Doing dirty deeds on behalf of MacGuire are Denver Pyle and Dan Sheridan in prominent roles.

Young Jerry Hartleben appeared in just 12 films. He also played Van Heflin’s son in “3:10 to Yuma.” He went on to become a cinematographer, working most notably on the hit TV series “Thirtysomething.”

Diane Brewster as Martha Morse, trying desperately to hold onto her home and range rights in King of the Wild Stallions (1959)

Emile Meyer as businessman Matt MacGuire, making an offer to buy Martha’s ranch in King of the Wild Stallions (1959)

Directed by:
R.G. Springsteen

Cast:
George Montgomery … Randy Burke
Diane Brewster … Martha Morse
Edgar Buchanan … Idaho
Emile Meyer … Matt MacGuire
Jerry Hartleben … Bucky Morse
Byron Foulger … A.B. Orcutt
Denver Pyle … Doc Webber
Dan Sheridan … Woody Baines
Rory Malinson … Sheriff Cap Fellows

Runtime: 76 min.

Jerry Hartleben as Bucky Morse with his dog Bud, wondering how to tame a wild stallion in King of the Wild Stallions (1959)

Jerry Hartleben as Bucky Morse, approaching Black Lightning, the stallion worth $500 in King of the Wild Stallions (1959)

Memorable lines:

A.B. Orcutt, who’s been bribed to deny Martha Morse a loan: “You know, Mr. MacGuire, I don’t think I like you.”
MacGuire: “I wish you hadn’t said that, A.B. Now I won’t sleep a wink all night.”

Idaho: “I know enough to pour tea out of a boot when the directions are written on the heel.”
MacGuire: “I reckon you do at that, Idaho. If the print is big enough.”

George Montgomery as Randy Burke and Edgar Buchanan as Idaho, pulling a fast one to secure a loan from A.B. Orcut (Byron Foulger) in King of the Wild Stallions (1959)

Rory Malinson as Sheriff Cap Fellows, listening to Randy Burke’s version of events in King of the Wild Stallions (1959)

Denver Pyle as Doc Webber and Dan Sheridan as Woody Baines, two of MacGuire’s men in King of the Wild Stallions (1959)

George Montgomery as Randy Burke, Diane Brewster as Martha Morse and Edgar Buchanan as Idaho, working together to save a ranch in King of the Wild Stallions (1959)