Calamity Jane and Sam Bass | |
---|---|
Directed by | George Sherman |
Screenplay by | Maurice Geraghty Melvin Levy |
Story by | George Sherman |
Produced by | Leonard Goldstein |
Starring | Yvonne De Carlo Howard Duff Dorothy Hart Willard Parker Lloyd Bridges |
Cinematography | Irving Glassberg |
Edited by | Edward Curtiss |
Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | Universal International Pictures |
Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 86 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Calamity Jane and Sam Bass is a 1949 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Yvonne De Carlo, Howard Duff and Dorothy Hart. [1]
Sheriff Will Egan doesn't want any gamblers in Denton, Texas and is suspicious when stranger Sam Bass arrives in town. The sheriff's sister Kathy likes the newcomer, though, while Calamity Jane is impressed with Sam's way with horses, even more so when Sam spots a poorly shod favorite in a horse race and bets against him, winning a tidy sum.
Sam buys the losing horse with his wager winnings and intends to race him. But when a hired guy poisons the horse, Sam shoots him. Sam tries to turn himself in, but feels he can't get a fair trial and busts out.
Sam becomes an outlaw, robbing banks. He believes Kathy has tricked him and turns to Jane.
He ends up shot, dying in Jane's arms, yet seemingly in love with Kathy.
In March 1948 Universal announced they would make The Story of Sam Bass from a story by director George Sherman. It would be an expensive production in Technicolor shot on location in Kanab, Utah. [2] Jimmy Stewart was sought to play the title role. [3] The role eventually went to Howard Duff who had just come to notice in Brute Force (1947).
Universal decided to cast Yvonne De Carlo as the female lead. De Carlo was under contract to Universal at the time, and had just been entertaining US troops in Europe. She was reluctant to make the film as it was a Western, but did not want to go on suspension. (She had been briefly engaged to her co-star Howard Duff in April 1947.) [4] Dorothy Hart and Willard Parker signed to play support roles. [5]
Filming started 7 October 1948 in Kanab, Utah. [6] Johnson Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs, and the Gap were additional filming locations. [7] : 288
It was the second film about Calamity Jane made that year, the other being The Paleface . [8]
Universal adopted a regional opening strategy for the film, a strategy that they had tried earlier in the year with The Life of Riley . The film had its world premiere on June 8, 1949 in Dallas, Texas and then opened in 600 theaters in Oklahoma and Texas over a seven week period. [9] [10] The approach was a success with grosses double that compared to normal release patterns. [10] In July, it had a further saturation release in 200 theaters in Salt Lake City, Denver, Omaha and Des Moines. [11]
Margaret Yvonne Middleton, known professionally as Yvonne De Carlo, was a Canadian-American actress, dancer and singer. She became a Hollywood film star in the 1940s and 1950s, made several recordings, and later acted on television and stage.
Dorothy Hart was an American actress, mostly in supporting roles. She portrayed Howard Duff's fiancée in the film The Naked City (1948).
Samuel Bass was a 19th-century American train robber, outlaw, and outlaw gang leader. Notably, he was a member of a gang of six that robbed a Union Pacific train in Nebraska of $60,000 in newly minted gold from San Francisco, California. To date, this is the biggest train robbery to have been committed in the USA. He died as a result of wounds sustained in a gun battle with law enforcement officers.
Howard Green Duff was an American actor.
Black Bart is a 1948 American Western Technicolor film directed by George Sherman and starring Yvonne De Carlo, and Dan Duryea as the real-life stagecoach bandit Charles E. Boles, known as Black Bart. The movie was produced by Leonard Goldstein with a screenplay written by Luci Ward, Jack Natteford and William Bowers. The film, also known under the alternate title Black Bart, Highwayman, was released by Universal Pictures on March 3, 1948.
George Sherman was an American film director and producer of low-budget Western films. One obituary said his "credits rival in number those of anyone in the entertainment industry."
Willard Parker was an American film and television actor. He starred in the TV series Tales of the Texas Rangers (1955–1958).
Martha Jane Canary, better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits, she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Late in her life, she appeared in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. She is said to have exhibited compassion to others, especially to the sick and needy. This facet of her character contrasted with her daredevil ways and helped to make her a noted frontier figure. She was also known for her habit of wearing men's attire.
Tomahawk is a 1951 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Van Heflin and Yvonne De Carlo. The film is loosely based on events that took place in Wyoming in 1866 to 1868 around Fort Phil Kearny on the Bozeman Trail such as the Fetterman Fight and Wagon Box Fight. In the UK, the film was released as The Battle of Powder River.
Comanche Territory is a 1950 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Maureen O'Hara and Macdonald Carey. Jim Bowie is sent into Comanche country on a mission to allow the government to mine silver on the Indian's land.
Raymond John Flynn, known professionally as John Rodney, was an American actor, who worked in film and television. He also used the name John Flynn.
Buccaneer's Girl is a 1950 American Technicolor romantic adventure film directed by Frederick de Cordova starring Yvonne De Carlo and Philip Friend.
Timbuktu is a 1959 American black-and-white adventure film directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Victor Mature and Yvonne De Carlo. It is set in Timbuktu (Africa), but was filmed in the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Kanab, Utah.
Silver City is a 1951 American Western film directed by Byron Haskin and starring Edmond O'Brien, Yvonne De Carlo, and Barry Fitzgerald.
The Gal Who Took the West is a 1949 American Western film directed by Frederick de Cordova starring Yvonne De Carlo, Charles Coburn, Scott Brady and John Russell. It was nominated for an award by the Writers Guild of America 1950.
Red Canyon is a 1949 American Technicolor western film directed by George Sherman and starring Ann Blyth, Howard Duff and George Brent. It was based on the 1917 novel Wildfire by Zane Grey.
Pirates of Monterey is a 1947 American Technicolor western adventure film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Maria Montez, Rod Cameron and Gilbert Roland. It was the last film Montez made for Universal Pictures.
Border River is a 1954 American western film directed by George Sherman and starring Joel McCrea, Yvonne De Carlo and Pedro Armendáriz.
Slave Girl is a 1947 American Technicolor adventure comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Yvonne De Carlo and George Brent.
Yvonne Wood was an American costume designer. She began her career at 20th Century Fox in 1943.