''Raton Pass'' 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

Edwin L. Marin Edwin L. Marin (February 21, 1899 – May 2, 1951) was an American film director who directed 58 films between 1932 and 1951, working with Randolph Scott, Anna May Wong, John Wayne, Peter Lorre, George Raft, Bela Lugosi, Judy Garland, Eddie ...

and starring

Dennis Morgan Dennis Morgan (born Earl Stanley Morner; December 20, 1908 – September 7, 1994) was an American actor-singer. He used the acting pseudonym Richard Stanley before adopting the name under which he gained his greatest fame. According to one ob ...

Patricia Neal Patricia Neal (born Patsy Louise Neal; January 20, 1926 – August 8, 2010) was an American actress of stage and screen. She is well known for, among other roles, playing World WarII widow Helen Benson in ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' (195 ...

and

Steve Cochran Steve Cochran (born Robert Alexander Cochran, May 25, 1917 – June 15, 1965) was an American film, television and stage actor. He attended the University of Wyoming. After a stint working as a cowboy, Cochran developed his acting skills in loca ...

Plot

New Mexico Territory The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico, as a result of '' Nuevo México'' becomi ...

, 1880. Pierre Challon and son Marc own a big ranch that encompasses both sides of

Raton Pass Ratón Pass is a 7,834 ft (2,388 m) elevation mountain pass on the Colorado–New Mexico border in the western United States. It is located on the eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Trinidad, Colorado and Raton, N ...

. They lease additional acres from homesteaders to accommodate their cattle. It is an uneasy arrangement, leading to occasional feuding. Against this background, two strangers arrive: an attractive woman, Ann, and a ruthless gunfighter, Cy Van Cleave, with whom she flirts. After making lunch plans with Cy, she observes an altercation between Cy and Marc, who emerges as the victor. She immediately snubs Van Cleave for Marc, who is quickly enchanted with her feminine charms. Before the town realizes it, the two get hitched. The newlyweds are pleasantly surprised by Papa Pierre's wedding gift, a title deed transferring ownership of the ranch to the happy couple. As 50% owner, Ann wants a say-so in the ranch's operation. Being a woman in the Old West, of course, no one takes her seriously. She becomes dissatisfied, bored and sullen—until Prentice, a Chicago banker, arrives. Ann sees an opportunity to manipulate the banker and further her plans. So, when Marc and his father go on a business trip, Ann and Prentice are left free to (a) engage in a huge, but risky land-irrigation venture; and (b) embark on a torrid love affair. When the Challons return, they are stunned to discover Ann and Prentice in a romantic clinch, planning to swindle Marc out of his share of the ranch. Pierre Challon urges his son shoot his adulterous wife and avenge family honor. To his father's dismay, Marc sells his 50% share to Ann. He is confident her irrigation deal will backfire and leave her broke, allowing Marc to buy back the land for pennies on the dollar. Lena Casamajor, a homesteader's niece, has always hankered for Marc. She fears Ann will despoil the landscape for both ranchers and farmers. So she sets up a meeting between Marc and the homesteaders. He offers them a deal to finance irrigation for all parties if they agree to help him deny Ann access to the grazing acreage Marc still leases from the homesteaders. Not to be thwarted, Ann hires Van Cleave as ranch foreman to instigate a range war. Soon, bullets fly from all directions. At one point, Van Cleave shoots Marc in the back. Miraculously, he survives. Meanwhile, fed up with the bloodletting, Prentice abandons Ann. The Challons are now the only ones who can stop him—and they do, but not before the murderous foreman turns his deadly aim on Ann.

Cast

as Marc Challon *

as Ann Challon *

as Cy Van Cleave *

Scott Forbes Conrad Scott Forbes (11 September 1920 – 25 February 1997), popularly known as Scott Forbes, was a British film and television actor and screenwriter. In his later career as a screenwriter, he was credited as C. Scott Forbes. Early year ...

as Prentice *

Dorothy Hart Dorothy Hart (April 4, 1922 – July 11, 2004) was an American actress, mostly in supporting roles. She portrayed Howard Duff's fiancée in the film '' The Naked City'' (1948). Early life Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Hart was the daughter of insur ...

as Lena Casamajor *

Basil Ruysdael Basil Spaulding Millspaugh (July 24, 1878 – October 10, 1960), known as Basil Ruysdael, was an American actor and opera singer. Early life Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, as Basil Spaulding Millspaugh, Ruysdael was the son of Dr and Mrs Char ...

as Pierre Challon *

Louis Jean Heydt Louis Jean Heydt (April 17, 1903 – January 29, 1960) was an American character actor in film, television, and theatre, most frequently seen in hapless, ineffectual, or fall-guy roles. Early life Heydt was born in 1903 (not 1905, as many so ...

as Jim Pozner (as Louis J. Heydt) *

Roland Winters Roland Winters (born Roland Winternitz; November 22, 1904 – October 22, 1989)DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 287. was an Ame ...

as Sheriff Perigord * James Burke as Hank * Elvira Curci as Tia

References

External links

* {{Edwin L. Marin 1951 films Films directed by Edwin L. Marin Films scored by Max Steiner Films set in 1880 Films set in New Mexico Films with screenplays by James R. Webb American Western (genre) films 1951 Western (genre) films American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films English-language Western (genre) films