Arizona (1940)

Director:

Wesley Ruggles

Writers:

Clarence Budington Kelland (story)
Claude Binyon (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 December 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Phoebe Titus is a tough, swaggering pioneer woman, but her ways become decidedly more feminine when she falls for California bound Peter Muncie...

Plot Keywords:

Pioneer | Explosion | Whipping | Wagon Train | Saloon

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Jean Arthur	...	Phoebe Titus
William Holden	...	Peter Muncie
Warren William	...	Jefferson Carteret
Porter Hall	...	Lazarus Ward
Edgar Buchanan	...	Judge Bogardus
Paul Harvey	...	Solomon Warner
George Chandler	...	Haley - Ward Henchman
Byron Foulger	...	Pete Kitchen
Regis Toomey	...	Grant Oury
Paul Lopez	...	Estevan Ochoa
Colin Tapley	...	Bart Massey
Uvaldo Varela	...	Hilario Callego - Phoebe's Young Helper
Earl Crawford	...	Joe Briggs
Griff Barnett	...	Sam Hughes (as Griff Barnette)
Ludwig Hardt	...	Meyer

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #6272)

Filming Locations:

Old Tucson - 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

In 1940, when this film was released, Jean Arthur was forty years old and her "love Interest", William Holden was only twenty-two.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scene where the Apache raiders are fleeing the cattle stampede, modern tire tracks can be seen (possibly those of the camera vehicle driving ahead of the riders).

Quotes:

Peter Muncie: I figure it sounds crazy to most people... going to California just to see it. But there's a gallivanted bug in my blood and that's the way I am.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Last Round-up (1947)

Soundtrack:

Colors

A Western movie worth watching!

If you are a Lover of Cowboy movies as I am, you find this to be one of the best! When watching these kind of movies, you will find it more interesting if you look at the little things. The costuming is outstanding. The revolvers are right for the period. You can see that the money spent on sets was well worth it. This is not the Gene Autry 'soapy' kind of western. The characters have holes in their shirts; their clothes are worn; the hats are beat up. Had this film had a stronger male lead, like a Randolph Scott, or Errol Flynn rather than a very young William Holden, and been in color... In color you could then feel the heat and smell the sage brush, it would have been one of the most watched westerns ever. Jean Arthur is wonderful as she usually is in her movies. Edgar Buchanan is very funny. The casting is really great. William Holden does do a very nice job, but having him try to sing, must have been something expected at that time. No Sex, No bad language, amazing that today they make up for a weak script and acting with those two items. My thought is that it is too short at 121 minutes. I would like to have it go on for ever. A remake of this movie would be a treat.