Trail Street (1947)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Ray Enright

Writers:

William Corcoran (novel) and
Norman Houston (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

19 February 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

The Liberal Kansas area is in trouble. The town is without a Marshal and the nearby farmers are unable...

Plot Keywords:

Kansas | Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel

Cast

Randolph Scott	...	Marshal Bat Masterson
Robert Ryan	...	Allen
Anne Jeffreys	...	Ruby
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	Deputy Billy Burns
Madge Meredith	...	Susan
Steve Brodie	...	Logan Maury
Billy House	...	Carmody
Virginia Sale	...	Hannah Weeks
Harry Woods	...	Larkin
Phil Warren	...	Slim
Harry Harvey	...	Mayor of Liberal
Jason Robards Sr.	...	Jason (as Jason Robards)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernie Adams	...	Eben Bowen, Farmer (uncredited)
Stanley Andrews	...	Ferguson (uncredited)
Jessie Arnold	...	Jason's Wife (uncredited)
Frank Austin	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Guy Beach	...	Doc Evans (uncredited)
Hank Bell	...	Pedestrian passing newspaper office (uncredited)
Chris Willow Bird	...	Indian (uncredited)
Joe Brockman	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Roy Butler	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Ray Collins	...	Opening off-screen Narrator (uncredited)
Paul Dunn	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Kit Guard	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Lew Harvey	...	Gunman in Saloon (uncredited)
Betty Hill	...	Dance Hall Girl (uncredited)
Warren Jackson	...	(uncredited)
Si Jenks	...	Charlie Thorne, Newsman (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Sam Lufkin	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Glenn McCarthy	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Howard McCrorey	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Frank McGlynn Sr.	...	Tim McKeon (uncredited)
Larry McGrath	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Barfly / Farmer (uncredited)
Al Murphy	...	Dealer (uncredited)
William J. O'Brien	...	Saloon Extra (uncredited)
Donald Olson	...	Boy (uncredited)
Sarah Padden	...	Mrs. Ferguson (uncredited)
Eugene Persson	...	Boy (uncredited)
Dick Rush	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Mickey Simpson	...	Man at Saloon Doors (uncredited)
Forrest Taylor	...	Dave (uncredited)
Sailor Vincent	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Elena Warren	...	Mrs. Brown (uncredited)
Carl Wester	...	Farmer (uncredited)

Directed by
Ray Enright

Writing credits
William Corcoran		(novel)
Norman Houston		screenplay
Gene Lewis		screenplay

Produced by
Jack J. Gross	....	executive producer
Nat Holt	....	producer

Original Music by
Paul Sawtell

Cinematography by
J. Roy Hunt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lyle Boyer

Art Direction by
Ralph Berger
Albert S. D'Agostino

Set Decoration by
Darrell Silvera
John Sturtevant

Costume Design by
Adele Balkan		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Grayson Rogers	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Terry Kellum	....	sound
Jean L. Speak	....	sound (as James L. Speak)

Special Effects by
Russell A. Cully	....	special effects

Stunts
Glenn McCarthy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sailor Vincent	....	stunts (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Harold Palmer	....	montage

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	musical director
Harry Braisted	....	composer: song "You're Not the Only Pebble On the Beach"

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1947) (USA) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• M.P.E.A. (1949) (Germany) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1948) (France) (theatrical) (as RKO Radio Films)
• Comet Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

West Germany:12 | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #11865) | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Agoura, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

American Film Institute Catalog of Feature Films, 1941-1950, incorrectly omits sixth credited Steve Brodie as Logan Maury, and mixes up the roles played by Billy House, Virginia Sale and Harry Woods. They are correct as listed above.

Goofs:

Continuity: Steve Brodie's mustach changes several times. One time it is solid all the way across, another time it has a 1/2" gap in the middle, and sometimes it had a peak and other times it didn't.

Quotes:

Marshal Bat Masterson: What do you want, Carmody?
Carmody: Look here, Bat. These citizens here have elected me spokesman....
Marshal Bat Masterson: Listen, fella, there's only two kind of people I allow to call me Bat: good friends and people I like. You don't belong in either group.

Soundtrack:

The Only Pebble on the Beach

Enjoyable fluff--thanks, in part, to Gabby Hayes

I am a fan of Randolph Scott Westerns. While some of them are amazingly clichéd (as are most Westerns of this era), his easy delivery and style really elevate the films to classic and near-classic status. While this film features yet another example of real life Western heroes being exploited after their death by Hollywood (in this case, Bat Masterson), the film works well due to him as well as excellent supporting characters. One is the always strong acting of Robert Ryan--an excellent actor who is sadly almost forgotten today. The other is the ubiquitous Gabby Hayes who has one of his best roles as the crusty and very colorful deputy. Here he is more enjoyable than in his many supporting roles for Roy Rogers and John Wayne--mostly because his part is better written and he's given more to do.

The plot is pretty much the plot of half the Westerns ever made. There are some baddies who hire a bunch of thugs to run roughshod over the locals and it's up to a do-gooder (Scott) to restore the peace and kill off the villains. However, how the plot is executed is much better than average and due to this the film is still watchable fun. Just don't expect a whole lot of innovation or uniqueness--unless you want to see what might just be Gabby Hayes' best performance.