John Payne is Rock Grayson, a former Confederate officer who returns to his home in Galeston after the war to find a corrupt reconstruction government in place, headed by fellow southerner Roger Hale (Lyle Bettger).
Everyone recalls Grayson as a Civil War hero, one of Galeston’s finest citizens. But Grayson seems beaten by the war, scolds his former friends for not giving up the fight and takes a job as a tax collector for Hale.
Most confused by all this is Jane Colfax (Coleen Gray), who fell in love with Grayson at age 18 and eagerly awaited the day he’d return from the fighting. Now he seems a totally different man.
Most intrigued by all of this is Rosie Slater (Jan Sterling). She grew up poor, admiring rich Southern families like the Graysons and the Colfaxes.
Now she’s Hale’s girl, determined to get rich and become a lady others look up to. And while she might be with Hale, that doesn’t keep her from flirting with Grayson, if only to prove she can get the attention of a man who would pay her no mind in the pre-Civil War South.
Eventually, Rosie invites Grayson to become a partner in the reconstruction enterprise she and Hale are engaged in. They loan money to Southern landowners who owe back taxes, then foreclose on those properties when they can’t pay back the loans.
The unexpected arrival of Gen. Hildebrandt, an inspector from back East, throws a kink in those plans. And reveals that Grayson has more fight left in him than him new allies expected.
John Payne as Rockwell Grayson, returning home from the Civil War a seemingly defeated man in The Vanquished (1953)
Coleen Gray as Jane Colfax, spotting childhood sweetheart Rockwell Grayson on his return to Galeston in The Vanquished (1953)
Review:
Entertaining film about the reconstruction era. The presence of two females in key roles certainly helps. The film might have been even better if viewers weren’t tipped off to Grayson’s real motive in the opening.
As it turns out, Hale and Capt. Kirby learn of Grayson’s real mission — getting proof that they’re corrupt. So when they kill an inspector to keep him from learning the same thing, they do their best to make Grayson the suspect.
But there’s a letter that will clear our hero. The only problem, it’s in the hands of Rosie. At least until Jane decides to get it back. At scissor-point if need be in one of the film’s more memorable scenes.
Lyle Bettger as Roger Hale, trying to convince Rockwell Grayson (John Payne) to join his reconstruction government in The Vanquished (1953)
Jan Sterling as Rose Slater, the woman planning to get rich along with Roger Hale in The Vanquished (1953)
>Directed by:
Edward Ludwig
Cast:
John Payne … Rock Grayson
Jan Sterling … Rose Slater
Coleen Gray … Jane Colfax
Lyle Bettger … Roger Hale
Willard Parker … Capt. Kirby
Roy Gordon … Doctor Colfax
Charles Evans … Gen. Hildebrandt
John Dierkes … Gen. Morris
Ellen Corby … Mrs. Barbour
Ernestine Barrier … Mrs. Colfax
Russell Gaige … Rev. Babcock
Voltaire Perkins … Harvey Giddens
Runtime: 83 min.
Willard Parker as Capt. Kirby, the regular Army officer working in cahoots with Roger Hale in The Vanquished (1953)
Charles Evans as Gen. Hildebrandt, arriving in Galeston to investigate Roger Hale in The Vanquished (1953)
Memorable lines:
Roger Hale, as a Southerner is led to the gallows: “I believe in a couple of executions a week just to keep the good citizens in line.”
Rock Grayson: “If you gentlemen want to kill yourselves fighting a war you already lost, go ahead. Count me out. I’ve had enough.”
Roger Hale: “You know, dressing like a lady won’t make you one, Rosie?”
Rosie: “And calling me Rosie won’t help people forget I’m not one.”
Roger Hale to Capt. Kirby: “You pull yourself together, captain. For a military man, you show a remarkably weak stomach for a simple killing.”
Roy Gordon as Dr. Colfax, trying to convince Rock Grayson to help residents of Galeston stand up to Roger Hale in The Vanquished (1953)
Lyle Bettger as Roger Hale, preparing to turn over phony land tax records to Gen. Hildebrandt in The Vanquished (1953)
Jan Sterling as Rose Slater, helping a wounded Rockwell Grayson (John Payne) in The Vanquished (1953)
Coleen Gray as Jane Colfax, trying to figure out why old friend Rockwell Grayson (John Payne) is working with Roger Hale in The Vanquished (1953)
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