The Redhead from Wyoming (1953) - Once Upon a Time in a Western

William Bishop is Jim Averall, a schemer who hopes to use discord between homesteaders and cattle king Reece Duncan (Alexander Scourby) as a route to fame and fortune, and perhaps the governor’s mansion in Wyoming.

Maureen O’Hara is Kate Maxwell, the former lover he brings to the town of Sweetwater to run a saloon and buy mavericks.

What she doesn’t know is many of the mavericks joining her herd aren’t mavericks at all. They’re cattle rustled from Duncan’s herd using a special branding iron that easily converts the Duncan brand into the Kate Maxwell brand.

Stuck trying to keep peace between the homesteaders, Duncan and his men, and the scoundrels working for Averall is Sheriff Stan Blaine (Alex Nicol), a drifter appointed to that position because he’d be easy to handle.

Perhaps not, especially once Averall frames Kate for murder and rustling in hopes of initiating a range war.

Maureen O’Hara as Kate Maxwell, finding herself at the heart of Jim Averall’s scheme to become governor of Wyoming in The Redhead from Wyoming (1953)

William Bishop as Jim Averall, the man with his eyes on the Wyoming governorship in The Redhead from Wyoming (1953)

Review:

Maureen O’Hara, who was receiving praise for her performance in “Quiet Man” at the time, famously labeled this movie “another Western stinkeroo for Unviversal.”

It might not be quite that bad, but you’d better like O’Hara to enjoy the film. She’s quite the spirited gal, talking her way out of jail in time to fire away at Averell and his men along with everyone else in the final shootout.

Gregg Palmer and Dennis Weaver play two of the homesteaders in support roles. Both would go on to much bigger Western roles. The best roles belong to Alex Nicol as the drifter forever wondering if it’s time to drift again and Bishop as the dreamer willing to stab anyone in the back to get ahead.

Alex Nicol as Sheriff Stan Blaine, the drifter who became sheriff and is tries to prevent a range war in The Redhead from Wyoming (1953)

Alexander Scourby as Reece Duncan, warning the settlers not to brand any mavericks on his range in The Redhead from Wyoming (1953)

Directed by:
Lee Sholem

Cast:
Maureen O’Hara … Kate Maxwell
Alex Nicol … Sheriff Stan Blaine
William Bishop … Jim Averell
Robert Strauss … Knuckles Hogan
Alexander Scourby … Reece Duncan
Gregg Palmer … Hal Jessup
Jack Kelly … Sandy
Jeanne Cooper … Myra
Dennis Weaver … Matt Jessup
Stacy Harris … Chet Jones

Runtime: 77 min

Dennis Weaver as Matt Jessup, ready to rush to Kate Maxwell’s defense after she’s been arrested in The Redhead from Wyoming (1953)

Gregg Palmer as Hal Jessup, wounded but still ready to help Sheriff Blaine try to stop Jim Averall in The Redhead from Wyoming (1954)

Memorable lines:

Sheriff Blaine, after Duncan has taken a shot at Averell: “Put the gun away.”
Duncan: “I only aimed to drill his hat, sheriff. Just to let out some hot air.”

Duncan: “Miss Maxwell, have you looked into this (buying mavericks), too? It’s liable to get you into some real hot water.”
Kate: “Why I soak in hot water every day, mister. It’s good for the complexion.”

Averell: “Believe me, that last sour deal is way behind me. I’m going up, up and up, right into the governor’s mansion.”
Kate: “To ask (for) a pardon?”

Duncan: “Sheriff, there’s going to be a range war here. I suggest you decide whose side you’re going to be on.”
Sheriff Blaine: “I have. I’m on the side of the first man who gets killed.”

Kate Maxwell: “Seems to me, all men want to do is fight, even when they talk peace.”

Sheriff Blaine: “You didn’t spend much time in jail?”
Kate Maxwell: “Could afford it sheriff. Too many chores.”

Alex Nicol as Sheriff Blaine and Maureen O’Hara as Kate Maxwell, reacting to the sound of gunfire in The Redhead from Wyoming (1953)

Robert Strauss as Knuckles Hogan, Kate Maxwell’s business associate and protector in The Redhead from Wyoming (1953)

Jeanne Cooper as saloon girl Myra, who falls for settler Hal Jessup (Gregg Palmer) in The Redhead from Wyoming (1953)