Charlton Heston is Colt Saunders, a Confederate soldier just back from the Civil War and anxious to revive the immense ranch he left behind. It won’t be easy. Carpetbaggers named Cable and Harrison are after the land. And his one-armed brother, Cinch (Tom Tyron) has come home, looking for a way to get rich quick.
But his bigger problem is a woman named Lorna (Anne Baxter), whom he married on impulse. He thinks she’s a lady fit for a former Southern officer. He finds out she has a shady past as a dance hall girl.
When he orders her off the ranch, she and Cinch try to steal his horse herd. When Colt discovers Lorna is pregnant, he makes her a deal. She can have the horse herd and the $30,000 they’ll fetch; he wants the baby in exchange..
Gilbert Roland plays the ranch foreman who has stuck by the Saunders for 30 years, but won’t stand for the way Colt treats Lorna.
Review:
Much better than average fare, with strong performances all around, including one of Tyrone’s best in a Western. Baxter is a delight, especially in the early scenes when she’s trying to win Colt Saunders over by not trying to win him over. The scene where he turns her upside down and shakes her, petticoats flying, because he thinks she’s lifted his wallet is a joy to behold.
One of the strengths of the film is its focus on the three main characters and their interactions. Sure, the carpetbaggers are there; every Western needs its villains. But they’re far from the focus of the film.
When Gilbert Roland introduces his five sons to Lorna, you’ll recognize two familiar faces — Jamie Farr, the future Cpl. Klinger from “MASH” and Robert Blake, the future “Baretta.”
Heston and Baxter were both fresh off filming “The Ten Commandments” when they made this movie.
Directed by:
Rudolph Mate
Cast:
Charlton Heston … Colt Saunders
Anne Baxter … Lorna Saunders
Gilbert Roland … Innocencio Ortega
Tom Tryon … “Cinch” Saunders
Forrest Tucker … Commissioner Cable
Bruce Bennett … Commissioner Harrison
Elaine Stritch … Ruby LaSalle
Barton McLane … Yates
Peter Hansen … Lt. Marr
John Harmon … Mr. Massey
Ross Bagdasarian … Asuncion Ortega
Robert Blake … Rafael Ortega
Jamie Farr … Pedro Ortega
Leo Castillo … Luis Ortega
Don Devlin … Juan Orega
Runtime: 100 min.
Memorable lines:
Lorna: “Speaking of hunger, I don’t expect it in the immediate future.” She flips gold coins to Ruby. “Put these in your safe. They weigh a ton.”
Ruby: “Gold is heavy, but I’m still very fond of it.”
Ruby to Lorna, who’s about to steal $900 from Colt Saunders: “You listen to me, Lorna, he’ll take this town apart. Not because of the money. He owns all the land from here to there in Texas. But because the Saunders are made that way. He once chased a rustler all the way down into Mexico for 20 scrawny cows when he owned thousands. They’re like that. They’re always willing to kill or get killed if they’re right. And they always think they’re right.”
Colt Saunders to Lorna, shortly after they’ve met: “I don’t see how anyone can look so right and be so wrong.”
Lorna, as Cinch Saunders struggles to open a bottle: “Let me help you.”
Cinch: “Do me a favor. Don’t ever help me do anything you wouldn’t help a two-armed man do.”
Innocencio Ortega, after handing Colt a drink: “A son has been born. We must make a toast with a little poetry before we drink.”
Colt: “I’ve been up all night. I need the drink, not to poetry. No toast.”
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