Producer Nat Holt had a multi-picture deal at Paramount in the early 1950s, and so did star Edmond O'Brien. Interestingly, Holt cast O'Brien (an actor associated with noir not westerns) to play the lead in a few modestly budgeted oaters. The first one was WARPATH, released in mid-1951; the second production was SILVER CITY, which was filmed in the middle of '51 but not released till the end of the year.; the third title would be DENVER AND RIO GRANDE in 1952. I should note that Holt ran a very efficient "assembly-line" process at Paramount. SILVER CITY was shot in just 24 days which is remarkable for a 90 minute Technicolor production.
This time O'Brien is cast as a bad guy trying to make good. The story's prologue tells us he used to be pals with a well-to-do businessman (Richard Arlen) but stiffed the guy and took off with stolen goods. In the process, O'Brien ditched a gold digger (Kasey Rogers) who ended up marrying Arlen. Later O'Brien started over in the mining town of Silver City. Though not spelled out specifically, the setting is Silver City, New Mexico.
In Silver City O'Brien deals with a ruthless mining and oil baron (played by a slightly miscast Barry Fitzgerald). Fitzgerald's character is probably modeled on Edward Doheny. He doesn't take kindly to guys like O'Brien or Arlen, who arrives in Silver City a short time later, horning in on his territory.
The territory is also home to a sexy woman portrayed by Yvonne De Carlo, who else, and she intends to mine the ore on some land she and her dad (Edgar Buchanan) own. It sort of feels like De Carlo's character is modeled after the infamous Poker Alice, a gambling queen who once operated a saloon in Silver City, NM, but has plenty of other interests in the community. Of course, the bulk of the story is fictional, with De Carlo teaming up with O'Brien. To satisfy the romantic elements, she inevitably falls for O'Brien, though O'Brien still has feelings for Rogers who is stuck in an unhappy marriage to Arlen. And so the western soap opera goes!
We find out that O'Brien never spent the loot he took from Arlen, so he is able to redeem himself in the end and square accounts. As for Fitzgerald's character, he is manipulated by Arlen and tries to ruin O'Brien but of course does not succeed. A showdown occurs between O'Brien and Arlen. There is a lot of double crossing, dirty dealing and outdoor adventure in this picture. Though the stars are not doing Shakespeare they give it their all and render an enjoyable piece of entertainment.
I should add that De Carlo was massively successful in westerns at her home studio Universal. After renegotiating her contract, she was able to do an occasional 'outside' film at other studios. She was probably eager to return to Paramount to prove a point. She had been under contract at Paramount in the war years competing for parts with Dorothy Lamour, not really getting anywhere. But after scoring a breakthrough for Universal in 1945's SALOME WHERE SHE DANCED, she had become a bonafide box office star. She was always right at home in the western genre.
This time O'Brien is cast as a bad guy trying to make good. The story's prologue tells us he used to be pals with a well-to-do businessman (Richard Arlen) but stiffed the guy and took off with stolen goods. In the process, O'Brien ditched a gold digger (Kasey Rogers) who ended up marrying Arlen. Later O'Brien started over in the mining town of Silver City. Though not spelled out specifically, the setting is Silver City, New Mexico.
In Silver City O'Brien deals with a ruthless mining and oil baron (played by a slightly miscast Barry Fitzgerald). Fitzgerald's character is probably modeled on Edward Doheny. He doesn't take kindly to guys like O'Brien or Arlen, who arrives in Silver City a short time later, horning in on his territory.
The territory is also home to a sexy woman portrayed by Yvonne De Carlo, who else, and she intends to mine the ore on some land she and her dad (Edgar Buchanan) own. It sort of feels like De Carlo's character is modeled after the infamous Poker Alice, a gambling queen who once operated a saloon in Silver City, NM, but has plenty of other interests in the community. Of course, the bulk of the story is fictional, with De Carlo teaming up with O'Brien. To satisfy the romantic elements, she inevitably falls for O'Brien, though O'Brien still has feelings for Rogers who is stuck in an unhappy marriage to Arlen. And so the western soap opera goes!
We find out that O'Brien never spent the loot he took from Arlen, so he is able to redeem himself in the end and square accounts. As for Fitzgerald's character, he is manipulated by Arlen and tries to ruin O'Brien but of course does not succeed. A showdown occurs between O'Brien and Arlen. There is a lot of double crossing, dirty dealing and outdoor adventure in this picture. Though the stars are not doing Shakespeare they give it their all and render an enjoyable piece of entertainment.
I should add that De Carlo was massively successful in westerns at her home studio Universal. After renegotiating her contract, she was able to do an occasional 'outside' film at other studios. She was probably eager to return to Paramount to prove a point. She had been under contract at Paramount in the war years competing for parts with Dorothy Lamour, not really getting anywhere. But after scoring a breakthrough for Universal in 1945's SALOME WHERE SHE DANCED, she had become a bonafide box office star. She was always right at home in the western genre.