''Woman They Almost Lynched'' is a 1953 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

Allan Dwan Allan Dwan (born Joseph Aloysius Dwan; April 3, 1885 – December 28, 1981) was a pioneering Canadian-born American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter. Early life Born Joseph Aloysius Dwan in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Dwan was ...

and written by Steve Fisher. The film stars John Lund,

Brian Donlevy Waldo Brian Donlevy (February 9, 1901 – April 6, 1972) was an American actor, who was noted for playing dangerous and tough characters. Usually appearing in supporting roles, among his best-known films are '' Beau Geste'' (1939), '' The Great ...

Audrey Totter Audrey Mary Totter (December 20, 1917 – December 12, 2013) was an American radio, film, and television actress and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player in the 1940s. Early life Audrey – some sources indicate "Audra" – Totter w ...

Joan Leslie Joan Leslie (born Joan Agnes Theresa Sadie Brodel; January 26, 1925 – October 12, 2015) was an American actress and vaudevillian, who during the Hollywood Golden Age, appeared in films such as '' High Sierra'' (1941), ''Sergeant York'' (1941) ...

Ben Cooper Ben Cooper (September 30, 1933 – February 24, 2020) was an American film and television actor who won a Golden Boot Award in 2005 for his work in Westerns. Stage Cooper appeared on Broadway in '' Life with Father'' (1939). He debuted in th ...

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...

, and Nina Varela. The film was released on March 20, 1953, by

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...

called this his favorite Dwan film, in part because of the "thrilling stagecoach robbery" shot by

William Witney William Nuelsen Witney (May 15, 1915 – March 17, 2002) was an American film director, film and television director. He is best remembered for the action films he made for Republic Pictures, particularly serial film, serials: ''Dick Tracy Return ...

Plot

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

factions along the Arkansas-Missouri border are warned by Border City's mayor, Delilah Courtney, to stay five miles from her neutral town or risk arrest. Quantrill, a former Confederate officer gone rogue, brings his gang of marauders to the region, including wife Kate, whom he kidnapped from Border City two years ago. Another new arrival is Sally Maris, who has traveled from Michigan to join her brother, Bitterroot Bill, the owner of a saloon. Kate takes an immediate dislike to Sally and challenges her to a fight, which Sally wins, then a gunfight, where Sally also surprises Kate with her skill with a weapon. Bill is killed, and has left behind so many debts, Sally must stay to run the business. Quantrill's interest in a mine, owned by Delilah, pits him against foreman Lance Horton, who is secretly a Confederate spy. Sally falls in love with Lance, who is wounded in a gunfight. After saving Kate's life during the melee, the women join forces. Sally prevents the arrest of Lance by claiming to be the spy herself. She is about to be hanged by vigilantes, but Kate reveals the truth, then rides off with the men in hot pursuit, saving Sally.

Cast

* John Lund as Lance Horton *

as Charles Quantrill *

as Kate Quantrill / Kitty McCoy *

as Sally Maris *

as Jesse James *

as Frank James *Nina Varela as Mayor Delilah Courtney *

Ellen Corby Ellen Hansen Corby (June 3, 1911 – April 14, 1999) was an American actress and screenwriter. She played the role of List of The Waltons characters#Esther Walton, Esther "Grandma" Walton on the Columbia Broadcasting System, CBS television ...

as First Townswoman *Fern Hall as Second Woman *

Minerva Urecal Minerva Urecal (born Florence Minerva Dunnuck; September 22, 1894 – February 26, 1966) was an American stage and radio performer as well as a character actress in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood films and on various television series ...

as Mrs. Stuart * Jim Davis as Cole Younger *

Reed Hadley Reed Hadley (born Reed Herring, June 25, 1911 – December 11, 1974) was an American film, television and radio actor. Early life Hadley was born in Petrolia, Texas. Career Before moving to Hollywood, he acted in ''Hamlet'' on stage in N ...

as Bitterroot Bill Maris *

Ann Savage Ann Savage (born Berniece Maxine Lyon, February 19, 1921 – December 25, 2008) was an American film and television actress. She is best remembered as the greedy cigarette-puffing'' femme fatale'' in the critically acclaimed film noir ''Detour ...

as Glenda *

Virginia Christine Virginia Christine (born Virginia Christine Ricketts; March 5, 1920 – July 24, 1996) was an American stage, radio, film, television, and voice actress. Though Christine had a long career as a character actor, character actress in film and ...

as Jenny *Marilyn Lindsey as Rose *Nacho Galindo as John Pablo * Dick Simmons as Army Captain * Gordon Jones as Yankee Sergeant *

Frank Ferguson Frank S. Ferguson (December 25, 1899 – September 12, 1978) was an American character actor with hundreds of appearances in both film and television. Background Ferguson was born in Ferndale, California, the younger of two children of W. Tho ...

as Bartender *Post Park as Stagecoach Driver *Tom McDonough as Quantrill's Henchman * Richard Crane as Yankee Lieutenant *Carl Pitti as Bourreau *Joe Yrigoyen as Prisoner Guard * Jimmy Hawkins as Malcolm Stuart *

James Kirkwood, Sr. James Cornelius Kirkwood Sr. (February 22, 1876 – August 24, 1963) was an American actor and Film director, director. Biography Kirkwood debuted on screen in 1909 and was soon playing leads for D. W. Griffith. He started directing in 1912, a ...

as Old Man *Paul Livermore as Bill Anderson

References

External links

* 1953 films American Western (genre) films 1953 Western (genre) films Republic Pictures films Films directed by Allan Dwan American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films Films scored by Stanley Wilson (composer) English-language Western (genre) films {{1950s-US-Western-film-stub