The Lone Ranger (1956)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Stuart Heisler

Writer:

Herb Meadow (writer)

Release Date:

25 February 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Western

Tagline:

"Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!"

Plot:

Kilgore to mine silver on Indian land. The mountain he wants is sacred to the Indians.

Plot Keywords:

Native American Reservation | Mask | Ranch | Marshal | Father Daughter Relationship

Cast

Clayton Moore	...	The Lone Ranger
Jay Silverheels	...	Tonto
Lyle Bettger	...	Reece Kilgore
Bonita Granville	...	Welcome Kilgore
Perry Lopez	...	Pete Ramirez
Robert J. Wilke	...	Cassidy (Kilgore's foreman) (as Robert Wilke)
John Pickard	...	Sheriff Sam Kimberley
Beverly Washburn	...	Lila Kilgore
Michael Ansara	...	Angry Horse
Frank DeKova	...	Chief Red Hawk (as Frank deKova)
Charles Meredith	...	Governor
Mickey Simpson	...	Powder
Zon Murray	...	Goss
Lane Chandler	...	Chip Walker

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Warnercolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #17676)

Filming Locations:

Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Wrather Productions

Trivia:

Bonita Granville's last film appearance. She retired from the screen to marry Jack Wrather.

Quotes:

The Lone Ranger: Hi-yo, Silver! Away!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Legends of the Superheroes (1979) (TV)

Soundtrack:

William Tell Overture

....and a Hearty Hi-Ho Silver, The Lone Ranger

"The Lone Ranger" was the first of two feature films made in the 50s starring Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as Tonto. It was of course, based on the long running TV series that began in 1949 and ended in 1957. It was produced by Jack Wrather who also produced the TV series.

Essentially a "B+" western it is nonetheless a well mounted production. It was made by Warner Brothers and is as good as any of the Randolph Scott westerns made by the studio at that time. Being a major studio production, it was filmed in color and Wrather was able to hire an above average supporting cast.

The story briefly, involves big time rancher Reese Kilgore (Lyle Bettger) trying to incite a war with the local Indian tribe on whose reservation a mountain of silver is located. The Masked Man and his faithful Indian companion ride in to try and prevent the conflict.

Moore and Silverheels, who had been around the "B" movie scene since the late 30s, play their parts pretty much the way they did on TV but with a little more edge. Moore has a knock down drag out fight with the Indian warrior Angry Horse (Michael Ansara) who is trying to take control of the tribe from sickly Chief Red Hawk (Frank DeKova). Tonto meanwhile, is beaten up by Kilgore's thugs (Robert J. Wilke, Mickey Simpson, Zon Murray). And the boys even get to gun down a couple of the bad guys. And, The Lone Ranger even gets wounded only to make a remarkable recovery. And oh yes, Moore also gets don the disguise of the old prospector again as he did several times in the TV series.

In addition to those mentioned, the supporting cast also includes Bonita Granville (wife of Producer Wrather) as Bettger's wife, Beverly Washburn as their daughter, John Pickard as the Sheriff, Perry Lopez as Pete Ramerez and Kermit Maynard and William Schallert in smaller parts.

The movie is not as corny as the TV series and turns out to be an entertaining western.