Hannah Lee: An American Primitive (1953)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Directors:

Lee Garmes
John Ireland

Writers:

MacKinlay Kantor (novel)
Alford Van Ronkel (writer)

Release Date:

July 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

She brought DANGER, DEATH and DESIRE to the west!

Plot:

Professional killer Bus Crow is hired by cattlemen to eliminate squatters. When Marshal Sam Rochelle is sent to investigate, saloon owner Hallie becomes a reluctant witness. |

Plot Keywords:

Reference To Matthew 7 6 | Reference To The Sermon On The Mount | Reference To The Book Of Matthew | 3 Dimensional | Based On Novel

Cast

Macdonald Carey	...	Bus Crow
Joanne Dru	...	Hannah Lee (Hallie McLaird)
John Ireland	...	Marshal Sam Rochelle
Tom Powers	...	Sheriff
Ralph Dumke	...	Alesworth
Stuart Randall	...	Jeff Montgomery
Frank Ferguson	...	John Britton
Don Haggerty	...	Bill Crashaw
Peter Ireland	...	Willie Stiver
Tristram Coffin	...	Paulson, Bartender
Alex Pope	...	Gare Stiver
Kay Riehl	...	Mrs. Bainbridge
Grace Lee Whitney	...	Mrs. Stiver (as Ruth Whitney)
Dean Cromer	...	Charlie Bevan
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alan Frazier	...	Bart, Hotel Desk Clerk (scenes deleted)
Harold J. Kennedy	...	Bainbridge

Also Known As:

Outlaw Territory (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

75 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Jack Broder Productions Inc.

Trivia:

In his autobiography, "The Days of My Life", actor Macdonald Carey writes candidly of his work on this film: "John [John Ireland] and I were not happy with the ending in the script. Both of us, heavy drinkers at the time, sat up late at night... drinking and re-writing the conclusion."

Quotes:

Bus Crow: When I was a kid, I killed gophers for money. Then I killed Indians and Spaniards for money. Now I just kill for money.

A very good western, beset by technical difficulties

Loosley based on Mckinley Kantor's novel "Wicked Water", and paralleling the life of outlaw Tom Horn, this film was originaly released in 1953 in color and 3D. Carey is delicious as the villan, Ireland is the Marshall sent to bring him in and Dru provides the love interest. Great title song by Stan Jones,Ireland's only stab at Direction. Orginal release in 3D was fuzzy, blurred-re-released in 1954 in B&W and 'flat,' under the title "Hannah Lee" and shortly thereafter appear on TV. Referring to the film in his later years, Carey stated "A house of wax it wasn't!" Well worth viewing.