Joel McCrea

Virginia Mayo

Dorothy Malone

Henry Hull

John Archer

James Mitchell

Morris Ankrum

Basil Ruysdael

Frank Puglia

Ian Wolfe

Harry Woods

Houseley Stevenson

Carl Andre

George Bell

Oliver Blake

Monte Blue

Ben Corbett

Jack Daley

Bert Dillard

Grey Eyes

Robert Filmer

Carl Harbaugh

Hallene Hill

Charles Horvath

Fred Kelsey

Victor Kilian

Paul Kruger

Charles B.V. Miller

James Mitchum

Jack Montgomery

Merlyn Nelson

Artie Ortego

Joe Phillips

Maudie Prickett

Frosty Royce

Phil Schumacher

Steve Stephens

Harry Strang

Glen Thompson

Edmund H. North

John Twist

W.R. Burnett

Anthony Veiller

Raoul Walsh

Owen Marks

Sidney Hickox

David Buttolph

Alma Armstrong

Fred M. MacLean

Perc Westmore

Hans F. Koenekamp

Ted Smith

Leslie G. Hewitt

William C. McGann

Leah Rhodes

Larry Butterworth

Ruby Felker

Chuck Hansen

Russell Saunders

Jock Mahoney

Paul Burnett

Mac Julian

Dudie Maschmeyer

George Gordon Nogle

Maurice De Packh

Sidney Cutner

Leo Shuken

Irva Mae Ross

Western

Crime

Romance

Colorado Territory

Warner Bros. Pictures

United States of America

Territorial Doom.

Colorado Territory is directed by Raoul Walsh and adapted to screenplay by Edmund H. North and John Twist from the novel "High Sierra" written by W.R. Burnett. It stars Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo, Dorothy Malone and Henry Hull. Music is by David Buttolph and cinematography by Sidney Hickox.

Raoul Walsh remakes his own High Sierra from 1941 but supplants it into a Western genre setting - with tremendous results.

McCrea plays outlaw Wes McQueen who springs from prison and vows to go straight, but with a price on his head he is coerced into one last railroad robbery. If he can escape the law then he can make a go of it as a new man, with a new name, and comforted by a new found love of a good woman, Colorado Carson (Mayo). Can he escape the law and those who would sell him out for money?

A remake of a classic film noir, Colorado Territory is itself classic film noir. Whilst not reaching the dizzying star heights of Bogart's 41 version, this is a film of great strengths. Thematically it's noir gold dust, the great Walsh not pandering to anyone and ensuring the dark edges of Burnett's novel play out on screen - including the shattering finale.

The photography is grade "A", both in chiaroscuro textures and sumptuous location framings. Cast can't be faulted either, McCrea a genuine horseman is firmly at home in a Western setting, Mayo and Malone positively light and sex up the screen, while classy performer Hull lends weighty support.

High end Western staples are adhered to, with robbery actions, fights, stunts, villainous betrayals and back stabbers, these marry up to the noirish cement of a man unable to escape his fate, his past weighing heavy on his shoulders, all ensuring there's constantly a doom laden feel permeating the story.

Rarely mentioned when talk turns to film noir Westerns, but it should be since it's one of the best. 9/10



English

Colorado Territory   Original Trailer