Jane Russell plays Belle Starr, who’s been rescued from the gallows by lovestruck Bob Dalton (Scott Brady). He takes her back to a hideout run by Mac (Forrest Tucker) and Ringo (Jack Lambert), though they’re skeptical about having a woman — especially such a notorious woman — in camp.
Sure enough, it isn’t long before Mac and Bob are fighting over Belle. The Daltons eventually ride out to rob a well-heeled gambling palace known as the Bird Cage, leaving Belle, Mac and Ringo behind.
When a posse shows up shortly thereafter, the trio left behind figure they’ve been sold out. They decide to rob the Bird Cage first. They grab some loot before the shooting starts, but miss out on the big prize, owner Tom Bradfield’s safe.
So Mac, Ringo and Belle return undercover. Belle dons a blonde wig and pretends to be a widow named Lucy Winters looking for a new adventure. Before you know it, she’s had a run of luck at the gambling table and is part owner of the Bird Cage.
That, she figures, puts her in a perfect position to wrap Bradfield around her finger and plan a much larger robbery.
What none of the outlaws knows is that Bradfield has been offered $100,000 to help nab the Dalton gang, and that he recognizes Belle for who she is as soon as she sits down at his blackjack table.
What he didn’t count on is falling in love with the lovely young outlaw.
Review:
Mediocre. Jane does her best, riding and shooting with the guys in her cowboys duds, then going blonde, singing a couple of songs and filling out a few saloon gowns, quite nicely, of course.
But it’s tough to overcome a plot that has gang members going from hating one another one minute to becoming partners in a big robbery the next.
Then there’s Bradfield, who runs a rich gambling house, but give Jane half ownership of it for a measly $25,000 in gambling winnings, even though he knows she’s an outlaw.
Among the familiar faces, fans will recognize Andy Devine. He plays a drummer named Pete who sells information about potential holdups to the Dalton gang, until Bradfield comes along with a more enticing offer.
By the way, this film was shot in 1948 for release by Republic Pictures. But Howard Hughes at RKO bought the negative and didn’t release the movie until about four years later.
Directed by:
Allan Dwan
Cast:
Jane Russell .. Belle Starr
George Brent .. Tom Bradfield
Scott Brady … Bob Dalton
Forrest Tucker … Mac
Andy Devine … Pete Bivins
Jack Lambert … Ringo
Ray Teal … Emmett Dalton
Rory Mallinson … Grat Dalton
Mike Ragan … Ben Dalton
John Litel .. Matt Towner
Roy Barcroft … Jim Clark
Ned Davenport … Bank clerk
Dick Elliott … Jepta Rideout
Gene Roth … Marshal Ripple
Stanley Andrews … Marshal Combs
Runtime: 82 min.
Songs:
“Guilded Lilly” and “Man in the Moon”
both performed by Jane Russell
Memorable lines:
Ringo, upon first seeing Belle: “Only trouble comes with squaw.” Then he spits.
Ringo to Belle: “Maybe Ringo wrong. You look like squaw. Ride, shoot like man.”
Belle Starr: “The law isn’t going to chase me from hole to hole like a rat. And they’re not going to try me for any killing I didn’t do.”
Mac to Belle: “Women are funny people. You stand here telling me you love Tom Bradfield and ask me not to plug him. You know I’d shoot 10 men to get you. Yep, you’re funny people.”
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