''The Secret of Convict Lake'' is a 1951 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by Michael Gordon and starring

Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. Ford was most prominent during Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age as ...

Gene Tierney Gene Eliza Tierney (November 19, 1920 – November 6, 1991) was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed for her great beauty, she became established as a leading lady. Tierney was best known for her portrayal of the title character in the ...

Ethel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regarde ...

and

Zachary Scott Zachary Scott (February 21, 1914 – October 3, 1965)Obituary ''Variety'', October 6, 1965. was an American actor who was known for his roles as villains and "mystery men". Early life Scott was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Sallie Le ...

. The film was a critical and commercial success. The story is fiction, based on legends of Convict Lake, located in the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...

mountain ranges of northern

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. and a short story by Anna Hunger and

Jack Pollexfen Jack Pollexfen (1908–2003) was an American writer, director and producer. He collaborated with Aubrey Wisberg on several science fiction and monster movies of the 1950s. Before entering the film industry he worked as a journalist. Selected f ...

. The film is the final role for

Ann Dvorak Ann Dvorak (born Anna McKim; August 2, 1911 – December 10, 1979) was an American stage and film actress. Asked how to pronounce her adopted surname, she told ''The Literary Digest'' in 1936: "My fake name is properly pronounced ''vor'shack ...

before her retirement from the screen.

Plot

The film opens with the narrator (

Dale Robertson Dayle Lymoine Robertson (July 14, 1923February 27, 2013) was an American actor best known for his starring roles on television. He played the roving investigator Jim Hardie in the television series '' Tales of Wells Fargo'' and railroad owner Be ...

in an early, uncredited role) laying the foundation of the story. In 1871, six convicts escape from a

Carson City Carson City is an Independent city (United States), independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 58,639, making it the List of cities in Nevada, sixth largest ...

prison. One of them freezes to death during a blizzard. The others—Canfield, Greer, Cockerell, Anderson and Maxwell—make it to Lake Monte Diablo, where eight women live in a settlement while their men are away prospecting. Granny is the elder, watching over Marcia, Rachel, Barbara, Susan, Harriet, Mary, and Millie. Frightened, the women reluctantly permit them to use an empty cabin. Granny hides all the guns except one when they realize that the men are escaped convicts. Canfield has returned here for a reason; the other convicts think that he has money hidden somewhere nearby. Canfield was convicted of killing a mine owner, and $40,000 is missing. Canfield learns that Marcia, to whom he is attracted, is engaged to be married to a man named Rudy Schaeffer. Canfield claims Rudy took the $40,000 and committed perjury to get Canfield convicted and sentenced to hang. Canfield reveals that he has returned to kill Schaeffer. A barn catches fire due to Rachel's nervousness. After the convicts rescue the animals, the women treat them more kindly. Canfield is trustworthy, but the other four continue plotting. Later, Canfield manages to take Granny's gun. Marcia rides off, so Canfield follows and catches up to her. They eventually embrace and kiss. He tells her that Morgan, a mine owner, had swindled him out of the money. When he came to talk to Morgan about it, Morgan pulled a gun on him, they scuffled and the gun went off, killing Morgan. Schaeffer witnessed this, but claimed that Canfield had killed Morgan in cold blood, so Schaeffer could keep the money himself. While they are away, Johnny Greer charms Rachel, Schaeffer's sister, into revealing where Granny hid the other guns. He, Cockerell and Anderson arm themselves and wait for Canfield. On the way home, the men of the town stop in a saloon. Rudy Schaeffer spots a wanted poster, so the alarmed men race back to their families. Clyde Maxwell, the youngest convict, a psychotic, cannot control his murderous impulses whenever someone resists him. He takes Barbara on a long walk and tries to kiss her. Barbara tries to pull away and he pulls out a machete. Canfield, riding back with Marcia, hears Barbara's cries and arrives in time to intervene. In the ensuing struggle, Maxwell stabs Canfield in the shoulder. Maxwell chases after Barbara, but the other women, who are out looking for her, kill him with a pitchfork. Greer has no trouble taking the wounded Canfield's gun. Rachel finds the $40,000 in a trunk belonging to her brother, Rudy. She gives it to Marcia to give it to the men to leave. Marcia gives it to Greer to get him to stop beating Canfield. Schaeffer and his men arrive back in the small town and confront the convicts. In a gunfight, Cockerell and Anderson are shot. Greer flees up the mountain, chased by all but Schaeffer. Greer drops the $40,000. He tries to pick it up, is shot, and falls to his death. Schaeffer goes for the stolen money. Canfield comes up behind him and at gunpoint, telling Schaeffer to confess. Marcia runs up behind screaming. As Canfield half turns to her, Schaeffer spins around and draws his gun and waits for Canfield to shoot him. The sheriff and his posse arrive. When he asks about the five fugitives (they found the frozen sixth man earlier), Granny shows him five newly-dug graves (the 4 convicts and Schaeffer). The others, including a somber Rachel (despite the death of her brother), go along, and the sheriff is satisfied. The narrator claims the story is true and reveals the lake was renamed Convict Lake.

Cast

as Jim Canfield *

as Marcia Stoddard *

as Granny *

as Johnny Greer *

as Rachel Shaeffer *

Barbara Bates Barbara Jane Bates (August 6, 1925 – March 18, 1969) was an American singer and actress, best known for her portrayal of Phoebe in the 1950 drama film ''All About Eve''. and as Katy Morgan on '' It's a Great Life'' (1954–1956). Early life ...

as Barbara Purcell *

Cyril Cusack Cyril James Cusack (26 November 1910 – 7 October 1993) was an Irish stage and screen actor with a career that spanned more than 70 years. During his lifetime, he was considered one of Ireland’s finest thespians, and was renowned for his int ...

as Edward 'Limey' Cockerell * Richard Hylton as Clyde Maxwell *

Helen Westcott Helen Westcott (born Myrthas Helen Hickman, January 1, 1928 – March 17, 1998) was an American stage and screen actress and former child actress. She is best known for her work in ''The Gunfighter'' (1950). Early years Westcott was the daughte ...

as Susan Haggerty *

Jeanette Nolan Jeanette Nolan (December 30, 1911 – June 5, 1998) was an American actress. Nominated for four Emmy Awards, she had roles in the television series '' The Virginian'' (1962–1971) and ''Dirty Sally'' (1974), and in films such as ''Macbeth'' ...

as Harriet Purcell *

Ruth Donnelly Ruth Donnelly (May 17, 1896 – November 17, 1982) was an American film and stage actress. Early years and family Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Donnelly was the daughter of Harry Augustus and Bessie B. Donnelly. Her uncle, Freder ...

as Mary Fancher *

Harry Benjamin Carter Harry may refer to: TV shows * ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...

as Rudy Schaeffer

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Secret of Convict Lake, The 1951 films 1951 Western (genre) films American black-and-white films American Western (genre) films Films directed by Michael Gordon Films shot in Colorado 20th Century Fox films Films scored by Sol Kaplan 1950s English-language films 1950s American films