The Bushwhackers (1952 film)
1952 film
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bushwhackers is a 1952 American Western film directed by Rod Amateau and starring John Ireland, Wayne Morris, Lawrence Tierney, Dorothy Malone, Lon Chaney Jr. and Myrna Dell.
| The Bushwhackers | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Rod Amateau |
| Screenplay by | Tom Gries (as Thomas S. Gries) Rod Amateau |
| Produced by | Larry Finley |
| Starring | John Ireland Wayne Morris Lawrence Tierney Dorothy Malone Lon Chaney Jr. Myrna Dell |
| Cinematography | Joseph F. Biroc |
| Edited by | Francis D. Lyon |
| Music by | Albert Glasser |
Production company | Jack Broder Productions |
| Distributed by | Realart Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 70 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
Tired of killing, war veteran Jefferson Waring rides West, but in Missouri he sees squatters killed by men working for the rich, ruthless Artemus Taylor.
Jeff spends the night at Independence newspaperman Peter Sharpe's place but is jailed when Sharpe's daughter Cathy finds him in her room. Marshal John Harding is one of many men on Taylor's payroll.
Peter's business is threatened by banker Justin Stone unless he takes Taylor's side against squatters settling in the region. The blind and wheelchair-bound Taylor and his ambitious daughter Norah are aware that railroad surveyors are considering laying tracks nearby, so they want all of the land for themselves.
Jeff leaves, but Norah and henchman Ding Bell intercept him. Norah shoots at Jeff but misses. She and Bell take Jeff to see Artemus, who instructs Bell to take Jeff to a remote canyon and murder him. Under Norah's instructions, Artemus's chief thug Sam Tobin pursues Bell and Jeff to murder them. Tobin wounds Jeff and kills Bell, but not Bell kills Tobin in the process. A doctor treats Jeff's wounds, but Marshal Harding charges Jeff with the two murders.
When the situation escalates and two of Taylor's thugs assail Peter, Jeff escapes from jail and organizes a group of settlers to resist Taylor's planned attack. The settlers slaughter Taylor's thugs, and Taylor dies of a heart attack. Norah, having shot Stone in order to steal some getaway money, is killed by Stone as she leaves. Jeff remains in town to operate the newspaper with Cathy.
Cast
- John Ireland as Jefferson Waring
- Wayne Morris as Marshal John Harding
- Lawrence Tierney as Sam Tobin
- Dorothy Malone as Cathy Sharpe
- Lon Chaney Jr. as Artemus Taylor
- Myrna Dell as Norah Taylor
- Frank Marlowe as Peter Sharpe
- William Holmes as Ding Bell
- Jack Elam as Cree
- Ward Wood as Second Henchman
- Charles Trowbridge as Justin Stone
- Norman Leavitt as Deputy Yale
- Stuart Randall as Slocum
- George Lynn as Guthrie
- Gordon Wynn as John Quigley
- Gabriel Conrad as Kramer
- Eddie Parks as Funeral Franklin
- Bob Broder as Tommy Lloyd
Production
The Bushwhackers was filmed at the Jack Ingram Movie Ranch in September 1951.[1] It was one of a series of Westerns featuring Dorothy Malone.[2]
Reception
In a contemporary review for the Citizen-News of Hollywood, critic Lowell E. Redelings wrote: "As Westerns go, 'The Bushwackers' [sic] is not the best of recent adventure dramas. There's too much talk. for one thing, and the plot is a bit too obvious. The characterizations help some. ... The photography is on the seamy side, and the directing leaves a whole lot to he desired."[3]
