''Sierra Baron'' is a 1958 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 i ...

CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its creation in 1953 by ...

color film directed by James B. Clark and starring Brian Keith, Rick Jason and Rita Gam, from the novel by Thomas W. Blackburn.

Plot summary

In 1848, a rancher, Miguel Delmonte (

Rick Jason Rick Jason (born Richard Jacobson; May 21, 1923 – October 16, 2000) was an American actor, born in New York City, and most remembered for starring in the ABC television drama ''Combat!'' (1962–1967). Childhood An only child of Jewish parent ...

) tries to protect his ''Princessa'' Spanish land grant, from American landgrabbers after his father is killed. Real estate agent Rufus Bynum ( Steve Brodie), hires a Texas gunfighter Jack McCracken (

Brian Keith Brian Keith (born Robert Alba Keith, November 14, 1921 – June 24, 1997) was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his six-decade career gained recognition for his work in films such as the Disney family film '' The Parent ...

) to kill the man. The gunfighter ends up falling in love with the rancher's sister Felicia ( Rita Gam).

Cast

as Jack McCracken *

as Miguel Delmonte * Rita Gam as Felicia Delmonte *

Mala Powers Mary Ellen "Mala" Powers (December 20, 1931 – June 11, 2007) was an American actress. Early life Powers was born in San Francisco, California, and raised in Los Angeles. Her father was a United Press executive, while her mother was a minister. ...

as Sue Russell *

Lewis Allan Abel Meeropol (February 10, 1903 – October 29, 1986)Baker, Nancy Kovaleff, "Abel Meeropol (a.k.a. Lewis Allan): Political Commentator and Social Conscience," '' American Music'' 20/1 (2002), pp. 25–79, ; see especially note 3. was an Ameri ...

as Hank Moe * Pedro Galván as Judson Jeffers * Fernando Wagner as Grandall * Steve Brodie as Rufus Bynum *

Carlos Múzquiz Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsew ...

as Andrews *

Lee Morgan Edward Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 – February 19, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. One of the key hard bop musicians of the 1960s, Morgan came to prominence in his late teens, recording on John Coltrane's '' Blue Train'' ...

as Frank Goheen *

Enrique Lucero Enrique Lucero (October 9, 1920 – May 9, 1989) was a Mexican-American film actor. He was known for such films as '' Macario'' (1960) and '' Two Mules for Sister Sara'' (1970). He also played the role of the "Indian Chief" in ''Buck and the Prea ...

as Anselmo * Alberto Mariscal as Lopez * Lynne Ehrlich as Vicky Russell * Michael Schmidt as Ralph * Tommy Riste as Ralph's Father

Production

The novel was published in 1955. The ''New York Times'' called it a "grade A novel". In May 1956 the novel was optioned by the sons of

Spyros Skouras Spyros Panagiotis Skouras (; gr, Σπύρος Σκούρας; March 28, 1893 – August 16, 1971) was a Greek-American motion picture pioneer and film executive who was the president of 20th Century-Fox from 1942 to 1962. He resigned June 27, 1 ...

, Plato and Spyros Jnr, who had formed a production company, Artys Co, with their cousin Charles Spyros Jnr, son of Charles Skouras.

André de Toth Endre Antal Miksa DeToth, better known as Andre de Toth (born Endre Antal Mihály Tóth; May 15, 1913 – October 27, 2002), was a Hungarian-American film director, born and raised in Makó, Austria-Hungary. He directed the 3D film ''House o ...

and John Hawkins wrote a script with De Toth intending to direct; the Skouras brothers wanted

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...

and

Jack Palance Jack Palance ( ; born Volodymyr Palahniuk ( uk, Володимир Палагню́к); February 18, 1919 – November 10, 2006) was an American actor known for playing tough guys and villains. He was nominated for three Academy Awards, all fo ...

to star. Eventually rights shifted to

Regal Films Inc Robert Lenard Lippert (March 31, 1909 – November 16, 1976) was an American film producer and cinema chain owner. He was president and chief operating officer of Lippert Theatres, Affiliated Theatres and Transcontinental Theatres, all based in ...

and the film was made as part of Regal's ten films in three months. De Toth did not direct. The film was shot back to back with ''

Villa!! ''Villa!!'' is a 1958 American Western film directed by James B. Clark, written by Louis Vittes, and starring Brian Keith, Cesar Romero, Margia Dean, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Carlos Múzquiz and Mario Navarro. The film was released in October 1958, ...

'' in Mexico, in and around

Estudios Churubusco Estudios Churubusco is one of the oldest and largest movie studios in Mexico. It is located in the Churubusco neighborhood of Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital ...

in Mexico City.

References

External links

* * * * * 1958 films 1958 Western (genre) films Films based on American novels Films based on Western (genre) novels 20th Century Fox films CinemaScope films American Western (genre) films Films directed by James B. Clark Films shot in Mexico Films scored by Paul Sawtell 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{1950s-Western-film-stub