Yellow Sky (1948)

Pistol-packing tomboy, and grandfather come to discover band of bank robbing bandits taking refuge in the neighboring ghost town.

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Lamar Trotti (screenplay), W.R. Burnett (story)

Stars:

Gregory Peck, Anne Baxter, Richard Widmark

2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gregory Peck	...	James 'Stretch' Dawson
Anne Baxter	...	Constance Mae 'Mike'
Richard Widmark	...	Dude
Robert Arthur	...	Bull Run
John Russell	...	Lengthy
Harry Morgan	...	Half Pint (as Henry Morgan)
James Barton	...	Grandpa
Charles Kemper	...	Walrus

Storyline

A band of bank robbers on the run from a posse flee into the desert. Near death from lack of water they stumble into what appears to be a ghost town, only to discover an old prospector and his granddaughter living there. The robbers discover that the old man has been mining gold and set out to make a quick fortune by robbing the pair. Their plan runs foul when the gang leader, Stretch, falls for the granddaughter, which sets off a showdown between the entire gang.

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Plot Keywords:

ghost town | prospector | desert | bank robber | gold | 

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Taglines:

It was as if the YELLOW SKYhad sought them out...where fate had forgotten them and life had left them behind!(original print ad)

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Genres:

Crime | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

December 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nevada

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 95 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jean Peters refused the female lead, calling the role 'too sexy'.

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Goofs

Just before beginning to cross the salt flats after the bank robbery, Dude pulls his saddle stirrup out to jump into it, but misses. The scene cuts immediately to another view, showing him successfully mounting the horse.

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Quotes

James 'Stretch' Dawson: I ain't talkin to hear my voice. I'm ordering ya.

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Connections

Version of BBC Sunday-Night Theatre: The Tempest (1956)

User Reviews

The desert is a harsh mistress.

This is not just your ordinary western. Top stars, great scenery and a well acted, but ordinary story. Gregory Peck leads a gang of bank robbers into the desert with the law hot on the trail. Peck ends up romancing Anne Baxter; and dealing with an Arizona ghost town while trying to calm down his angry pack of thieves. Also in the cast are: Richard Widmark, John Russell, Harry Morgan and Jay Silverheels. Beautiful black & white western action.