The Woman of the Town (1943)

Bat Masterson's girl tries to get him to give up gunfighting and become a respectable journalist, but Bat has other problems - his rival is in town gunning for him.

Director:

George Archainbaud

Writers:

Norman Houston (story), Æneas MacKenzie

Stars:

Claire Trevor, Albert Dekker, Barry Sullivan

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Claire Trevor	...	Dora Hand
Albert Dekker	...	Bat Masterson
Barry Sullivan	...	King Kennedy
Henry Hull	...	Inky Wilkinson
Marion Martin	...	Daisy Davenport
Porter Hall	...	Mayor Dog Killey
Percy Kilbride	...	Rev. Samuel Small
Beryl Wallace	...	Louella O. Parsons
Arthur Hohl	...	Robert Wright
Clem Bevans	...	Buffalo Burns
Teddi Sherman	...	Fanny Garretson
George Cleveland	...	Judge Blackburn
Russell Hicks	...	Publisher
Herbert Rawlinson	...	Doc Sears
Marlene Mains	...	Annie Logan

Storyline

Bat Masterson's girl tries to get him to give up gunfighting and become a respectable journalist, but Bat has other problems - his rival is in town gunning for him.

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Plot Keywords:

bat masterson

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 December 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

La loi du far-west

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Harry Sherman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Poor Polly"
Written by Lester Lee and Jerry Seelen

User Reviews

bat masterson cleans up dodge city

An underrated western, and much disliked by people who mistakenly believe that B oaters ought to stick to the traditional pattern. Everyone involved tried to do something original and unique and, for the most part, they succeeded. Slowly paced, to be sure, but then again this was not made for the moron crowd that only wants action, action, action - this is a melancholy movie that favors characterization over plot, and needs to be seen as a one of a kind film to be appreciated. One example of the novel approach - the film begins with Bat as an elderly newspaperman in New York City, circa 1919 (he died later that year), close friends with the young gossip columnist Louella Parsons, who in real life idolized him. There's a flashback to 'the old days,' when young Bat cleaned up Dodge City as town marshal. Actually, Bat never was that - he served as Wyatt Earp's deputy (Earp was the marshal in Dodge) then ran for sheriff and won. In fact, much of what's attributed to Bat here actually happened to Wyatt, who is never seen and mentioned only once. The film collapses the killing of two different real life saloon girls into one fictional character, the title one, and likewise combines the killers of the two women - a tough army sergeant named king and a cattle baron named Kennedy - into 'King Kennedy.' In this version, Bat became a newspaper man owing to the "woman's" pleas - though historically he got the idea on his own. The point is, this is historical fiction, a drama based on reality, and the historicity of the piece is evident less in the story per se but in the remarkably accurate portrait of Dodge at that time, including things most westerns leave out - like the arrival of stage star Eddie Foy (played, incidentally, by one of his descendants), church services, etc. The underrated Albert Dekker, usually cast as villains, makes a fine Bat, cane and derby hat intact. Fans of routine westerns will want to stay away, but those who appreciate something out of the ordinary? Catch this appealingly little understated film!