Colorado Territory (1949)
Colorado Territory is a remake of High Sierra, and while it seems unbelievable that a Humphrey Bogart gangster flick could be turned into a western, it completely works. Hats off to screenwriters John Twist and Edmund North who made every single plot point work in the wild west, and cut out the parts that no longer worked eight years later. There are no racial digs at a Willie Best character, and Dorothy Malone’s character doesn’t have a club foot.
Personally, I liked Colorado Territory infinitely better. There’s a romantic element to westerns, and they can get away with more melodrama than just regular film noir. Film noir tends to be complicated with attempted realism, but westerns can get their point across with good-guy-white-horse types of stories. A story about a wanted criminal going back for one last robbery works in both a western and a noir, but I would recommend watching the western first. Believe it or not, I prefer Humph to Joel in general, but I still liked this one better!
From the opening scene of this Joel McCrea western, you know you’re in for a good time. A little old lady walks into a jail and asks the prison guard to deliver a home-baked cake to her dear nephew, with a message that his uncle is taking good care of his white horse. Obviously, this is a code, and before long, Joel has escaped from his cell and ridden off to his hideout. His cronies have been awaiting his return, but not alone. Virginia Mayo, decked out in dark makeup to look part-Native American, has been hanging out with the outlaws. Once she meets Joel, she might change her loyalties to the leader of the pack.
Meanwhile, even though Joel is a wanted man, he still wants a better life for himself. He meets Henry Hull and Dorothy Malone, a father-daughter duo, on a stagecoach and gives them a false name. As he falls for Dorothy, he starts to dream of a respectable life. This part of the movie is very cute, if you’ve already seen High Sierra. Henry Hull played the doctor in the original, but since that part was eliminated, he was given the part of the father! As usual, he puts his heart and soul into his performance, and he’s very believable as an optimistic, encouraging dad.
Joel McCrea, whom I usually don’t like very much, is very good in this movie. He’s sweet and hopeful, yet determined and savvy in the ways of the world. If this were the first movie I’d seen him in, I’d probably like him a lot better. Virginia Mayo is also great, in an against-type role that shows she could have handled Lorene in From Here to Eternity infinitely better than Donna Reed did. Dorothy Malone is beautiful, and her character has unexpected spunk that will keep you on your toes.
If you want to see High Sierra first, I understand. But take it from me, the story is a lot better when it’s turned into a western.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "daniel dona" for posting!
More Henry Hull movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1941's High Sierra here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1955's I Died a Thousand Times here!
Personally, I liked Colorado Territory infinitely better. There’s a romantic element to westerns, and they can get away with more melodrama than just regular film noir. Film noir tends to be complicated with attempted realism, but westerns can get their point across with good-guy-white-horse types of stories. A story about a wanted criminal going back for one last robbery works in both a western and a noir, but I would recommend watching the western first. Believe it or not, I prefer Humph to Joel in general, but I still liked this one better!
From the opening scene of this Joel McCrea western, you know you’re in for a good time. A little old lady walks into a jail and asks the prison guard to deliver a home-baked cake to her dear nephew, with a message that his uncle is taking good care of his white horse. Obviously, this is a code, and before long, Joel has escaped from his cell and ridden off to his hideout. His cronies have been awaiting his return, but not alone. Virginia Mayo, decked out in dark makeup to look part-Native American, has been hanging out with the outlaws. Once she meets Joel, she might change her loyalties to the leader of the pack.
Meanwhile, even though Joel is a wanted man, he still wants a better life for himself. He meets Henry Hull and Dorothy Malone, a father-daughter duo, on a stagecoach and gives them a false name. As he falls for Dorothy, he starts to dream of a respectable life. This part of the movie is very cute, if you’ve already seen High Sierra. Henry Hull played the doctor in the original, but since that part was eliminated, he was given the part of the father! As usual, he puts his heart and soul into his performance, and he’s very believable as an optimistic, encouraging dad.
Joel McCrea, whom I usually don’t like very much, is very good in this movie. He’s sweet and hopeful, yet determined and savvy in the ways of the world. If this were the first movie I’d seen him in, I’d probably like him a lot better. Virginia Mayo is also great, in an against-type role that shows she could have handled Lorene in From Here to Eternity infinitely better than Donna Reed did. Dorothy Malone is beautiful, and her character has unexpected spunk that will keep you on your toes.
If you want to see High Sierra first, I understand. But take it from me, the story is a lot better when it’s turned into a western.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "daniel dona" for posting!
More Henry Hull movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1941's High Sierra here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1955's I Died a Thousand Times here!