Dallas (film)

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Dallas
Dallas FilmPoster.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Stuart Heisler
Written by John Twist
Produced by Anthony Veiller
Starring Gary Cooper
Ruth Roman
Steve Cochran
Barbara Payton
Raymond Massey
Leif Erickson also plays a prominent role.
Cinematography Ernest Haller
Edited by Clarence Kolster
Music by Max Steiner
Production
company
Warner Bros.
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release dates
  • December 23, 1950 (1950-12-23)(Los Angeles) [1]
  • January 12, 1951 (1951-01-12)(New York) [2]
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,390,000 [3]
Box office$4,490,000 [3]
$2.2 million (US rentals) [4]

Dallas is a 1950 American Western Technicolor film directed by Stuart Heisler and starring Gary Cooper, Ruth Roman, Barbara Payton and Raymond Massey. The film is set in the title city during the Reconstruction Era of the United States.

Contents

Plot

Blayde "Reb" Hollister is a former Confederate out to revenge himself on a group of carpetbaggers who murdered his family and destroyed their home in Georgia. With the help of his friend Wild Bill Hickok, Hollister's death is faked and he accompanies and swaps identities with federal marshal Martin Weatherby, who is using his position to impress his fiancée Tonia. Her Mexican family is being terrorized by the same gang that murdered Reb's family and terrorized Georgia. Hollister, posing as Martin, protects both men and lets them get closer to the carpetbaggers.

Cast

Reception

In a contemporary review for The New York Times , critic Bosley Crowther wrote:

[T]here is something about the sadness that appears in Mr. Cooper's eyes, something about the slowness and the weariness of his walk, something about his manner that is not necessarily in the script which reminds the middle-aged observer that Mr. Cooper has been at it a long time. And there is also a lot about "Dallas" to remind one that Westerns haven't changed a great deal in the past quarter of a century, and that Mr. Cooper has fair reason to be sad. ... [T]he story that's told in 'Dallas" ... is as standard as boy-meets-girl. Except for a few clever "gimmicks" that are dropped here and there in the tale, this is one of those two-gun-man horse operas that comes right down from William S. Hart; However, faithful to his calling,. Mr. Cooper plays it manfully. [2]

Critic John L. Scott of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "'Dallas' contains a more adult theme than is found in most film stories of the great outdoors. That's all to the good—maybe the Warner theaters can lure grownups during the engagement. ... The story gets a little complicated and some of the characters aren't developed enough but in the main 'Dallas' is an exciting piece of action entertainment." [1]

According to Warner Bros. accounts, the film earned $2,765,000 domestically and $1,725,000 foreign. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 Scott, John L. (December 25, 1950). "Those Wide, Open Spaces Welcome a Favorite Son". Los Angeles Times . p. 7, Part III.
  2. 1 2 Crowther, Bosley (January 13, 1951). "The Screen in Review". The New York Times . p. 10.
  3. 1 2 3 Warner Bros. financial information in The William Schaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p. 31 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551
  4. ↑ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1951', Variety, January 2, 1952
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