Audie Murphy, a Texan here as well as in real life, stayed with the Union Army during the Civil War. He's drawn duty out west fighting Indians instead of Confederates.
The real life Sand Creek Massacre of the Cheyenne has occurred and there is a total uprising on the frontier. Murphy goes AWOL from the army and back to his part of Texas to help the remaining people there as most of the young men are in the Confederate army.
After a lot of convincing he's got himself a female troop that proves themselves quite worthy standing up to Indians and renegade white men.
The Guns at Fort Petticoat is one of Audie Murphy's best B westerns in his career. Murphy turned out to be a real acting talent, if he hadn't been, his career wouldn't have lasted as long as it did.
He gets some good support here from that distaff group of players assembled at the old mission where they have to stand off the Cheyenne. Hope Emerson is the second in command and as always Hope is a formidable presence on the screen.
While this was playing in theaters Kathryn Grant became the second Mrs. Bing Crosby. I happened to meet her a few years ago when she was on a book tour promoting a book about her marriage with Bing. She mentioned that she liked The Guns at Fort Petticoat and wished she owned a copy of the film. If I had known I would have bought my VHS copy and given it to her. She should be proud of her work in this film.
There are four nasty men in this film as well. Sean McClory plays a no good rat of a human being who's impregnated Jeff Donnell and runs out on her. Then there are three of the nastiest outlaws you'd ever want to meet in James Griffith, Nestor Paiva, and Ray Teal. Audie and the women have to deal with them also.
There is one terribly touching scene that moistens my eyes every time I watch The Guns at Fort Petticoat. One adolescent girl's mom is killed during one of the attacks. Actresses Isobel Elsom and Peggy Miley play a southern dowager and a saloon entertainer respectively. Both of them comfort the young girl at the hour of her tragedy and in so doing prove they have a lot more character than originally thought. A really class piece of acting, brought off by Director George Marshall.
Kathryn Crosby, if you happen to read this review, contact me and I'll be glad to give you my copy of The Guns at Fort Petticoat.
The real life Sand Creek Massacre of the Cheyenne has occurred and there is a total uprising on the frontier. Murphy goes AWOL from the army and back to his part of Texas to help the remaining people there as most of the young men are in the Confederate army.
After a lot of convincing he's got himself a female troop that proves themselves quite worthy standing up to Indians and renegade white men.
The Guns at Fort Petticoat is one of Audie Murphy's best B westerns in his career. Murphy turned out to be a real acting talent, if he hadn't been, his career wouldn't have lasted as long as it did.
He gets some good support here from that distaff group of players assembled at the old mission where they have to stand off the Cheyenne. Hope Emerson is the second in command and as always Hope is a formidable presence on the screen.
While this was playing in theaters Kathryn Grant became the second Mrs. Bing Crosby. I happened to meet her a few years ago when she was on a book tour promoting a book about her marriage with Bing. She mentioned that she liked The Guns at Fort Petticoat and wished she owned a copy of the film. If I had known I would have bought my VHS copy and given it to her. She should be proud of her work in this film.
There are four nasty men in this film as well. Sean McClory plays a no good rat of a human being who's impregnated Jeff Donnell and runs out on her. Then there are three of the nastiest outlaws you'd ever want to meet in James Griffith, Nestor Paiva, and Ray Teal. Audie and the women have to deal with them also.
There is one terribly touching scene that moistens my eyes every time I watch The Guns at Fort Petticoat. One adolescent girl's mom is killed during one of the attacks. Actresses Isobel Elsom and Peggy Miley play a southern dowager and a saloon entertainer respectively. Both of them comfort the young girl at the hour of her tragedy and in so doing prove they have a lot more character than originally thought. A really class piece of acting, brought off by Director George Marshall.
Kathryn Crosby, if you happen to read this review, contact me and I'll be glad to give you my copy of The Guns at Fort Petticoat.