Release Year: 1959
Release Date: Tue Jun 23 1959
Runtime: 81 minutes
Filmed In Black And White
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
Filming Locations: Alabama Hills, Lone Pine
Director
Actors: Pedro Córdoba de Córdoba (as Gabrielle’s Dance Partner), Warren Fiske (as Undetermined Secondary Role), Clem Fuller (as Undetermined Secondary Role), Fred Graham (as Cowboy), Janine Grandel (as Basque), Carol Henry (as Undetermined Secondary Role), Robert ‘Buzz’ Henry (as Undetermined Secondary Role), Charles Horvath (as Undetermined Secondary Role), John Hudkins (as Undetermined Secondary Role), Loren Janes (as Undetermined Secondary Role), Jack Kenny (as Townsman), Anne Kunde (as Basque), Tina Menard (as Basque), Boyd ‘Red’ Morgan (as Undetermined Secondary Role), Tex Palmer (as Undetermined Secondary Role), Sally Pearce (as Undetermined Secondary Role), Vincent Perry (as Undetermined Secondary Role), Victor Romito (as Basque), Clint Sharp (as Undetermined Secondary Role), June Wilkinson (as Buxom Blonde at Marie’s Place), Bob Woodward (as Undetermined Secondary Role)
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Plot: Originally filmed in Black and White with color added later. In 1847, a group of fifty-two French Basques, including women and children, sets-out from Independence, Missouri to California. These settlers left Europe behind to escape the famine, unrest and aftermaths of the Napoleonic Wars. They bring with them their few belongings, customs and a few grapevines they hope to plant into the fertile Californian soil. They learn English on-the-fly from the younger men who speak it a little. In Independence, they purchase wagons, mules and provisions. They also hire a local trail master for a fee. The trail master, Lon Bennett, is skilled but he likes women and booze too much. When Lon Bennett learns that his Basques only have seven wagons he argues they should join a major wagon train of 20-30 wagons. Strength in numbers, no doubt, but large wagon trains could take weeks to assemble and the Basques cannot wait. Bennett tries to bail-out of his commitment but he already had spent the fee the Basques paid him by partying in the local hotel-saloon with women and friends. Having no choice, Bennett assembles the small wagon train. He is amazed at the Basques’ particular customs, traditions, superstitions and morality. He tries to change some of their traditional habits arguing that in the Wild West safety is more important than customs and traditions. But the Basques are a proud and stubborn people and refuse to change their ways. As the wagon train heads West, Bennett becomes obsessed with Gabrielle Dauphin, the beautiful wife of the Basque leader. He repeatedly forces his attention
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Makeup
Sources: Museum Of Western Film History Archives, IMDb, JustWatch