"Frontier Gal" was made in 1945, but it looks like it could have been made at least a decade later: it's dazzlingly photographed in Technicolor, has well-shot action scenes, and is not afraid of using playful violence as a form of foreplay - there is definite sexual chemistry between Rod Cameron and Yvonne De Carlo. Yvonne looks so comfortable mounting and dismounting and riding horses that it's obvious why she was chosen to star in so many Westerns. And I should not finish this comment without a special note for Beverly Simmons, who on the basis of this was probably one of the most talented child actresses of her generation, but had a very short-lived film career. **1/2 out of 4.
16 Reviews
Not Your Usual Western
gloryoaks9 January 2005
I saw and forgot about countless western movies in my early years, but this is one western I recall vividly. (I picture it in Technicolor.) First, I remember fiery Yvonne De Carlo and cowboy Rod Cameron who came riding up to the establishment she owned. It was like the irresistible object encountering the immovable force. Their love-hate romance was unusual for any era, and would be almost unthinkable in today's films, but it worked for this out-of-the-mainstream movie. I've forgotten some of the details, but what impressed me most was their little girl and how she brought about the exciting conclusion of the movie and a strangely satisfying resolution to their love affair. This is one I'd like to see again, but it never turned up on TV and seems to have faded into oblivion. A pity. It was fun.
Frontier Gal saved by ending action, scenery and Beverly Simmons
joeluher1 December 2016
Frontier Gal has two exceptionally great features that make the film at least a "7" rather than a "4"- One is the least 20 minutes of the film- fast paced and lots of action (in contrast to the first 60 minutes which was primarily colorful scenes from an old west barroom), breathtaking scenery of the Sierra mountains in California and a great story ending and 2. Miss Beverly Simmons who was fantastic in her role of Mary Ann. From my research on IMDb.com Miss Simmons appeared in only about 4-5 movies, including Buck Privates Come Home. all before the age of fifteen and died too early at the age of 64. I believe her last film was a role in Weekend with Father (1951)for which she did not receive a credit. Miss Simmons was "Shirley Temple" like yet with her own unique charm and terrific acting. I give a 10 to Miss Simmons.
The quiet man
dbdumonteil6 March 2011
Very atypical western,verging on slapstick farce ,with the longest slaps and kisses scene ever filmed .
She's the boss:Yvonne De Carlo runs the saloon and she reigns over men till a stranger comes .So begins an offbeat story ,part western ,with plenty of chases,part musical (even the daughter pulls her little tune ) ,part comedy .There are lots of domestic quarrels on an eventful wedding night,and it seems that the husband has the upper hand every time.An husband who has also got a straight bland fiancée who's got a "true" job (she's a teacher;says auntie:there are two jobs for a woman : one is respectable ,my niece's ,and one is scandalous ,yours!) These two ladies want the man to divorce Lorena .To make the matter worse,Lorena has also a suitor,a really jealous guy.
The movie is so-so but Miss De Carlo was a beauty and had plenty of go.
She's the boss:Yvonne De Carlo runs the saloon and she reigns over men till a stranger comes .So begins an offbeat story ,part western ,with plenty of chases,part musical (even the daughter pulls her little tune ) ,part comedy .There are lots of domestic quarrels on an eventful wedding night,and it seems that the husband has the upper hand every time.An husband who has also got a straight bland fiancée who's got a "true" job (she's a teacher;says auntie:there are two jobs for a woman : one is respectable ,my niece's ,and one is scandalous ,yours!) These two ladies want the man to divorce Lorena .To make the matter worse,Lorena has also a suitor,a really jealous guy.
The movie is so-so but Miss De Carlo was a beauty and had plenty of go.
Salome When She Sang
boblipton10 September 2021
Bad Man Rod Cameron is shotgun-married to saloon singer Yvonne De Carlo. After one night of honeymooning, he's arrested. When he returns from six years in prison, he discovers he has a five-year-old daughter.
Despite the usually sure comedy hand of director Charles Lamont, this movie annoyed me from the beginning, and my mood grew sourer as it progressed. Was it Cameron's one-note, offhanded performance? Miss De Carlo's I-love-you-don't-touch-me performance? The way plot points, like a daughter or a fiancee appears just as it is needed? Beverly Simmons' squeaky-voiced, I'm-a-cute-little-girl act? All those and more. At least Fuzzy Knight gets to show the reason he was known as an entertainer by playing the piano.
It's not enough. This was originally planned as a vehicle for Jon Hall and Maria Montez. Reportedly, Miss Montez, on seeing the script, refused the part. When the geniuses assigned the role to Miss De Carlo, they figured they didn't need Hall, and in the usual inspired manner, assigned Cameron as the leading man from SALOME WHEN SHE DANCED. Miss De Carlo doesn't dance, but she does sing, voice courtesy of Doreen Tryden.
Despite the usually sure comedy hand of director Charles Lamont, this movie annoyed me from the beginning, and my mood grew sourer as it progressed. Was it Cameron's one-note, offhanded performance? Miss De Carlo's I-love-you-don't-touch-me performance? The way plot points, like a daughter or a fiancee appears just as it is needed? Beverly Simmons' squeaky-voiced, I'm-a-cute-little-girl act? All those and more. At least Fuzzy Knight gets to show the reason he was known as an entertainer by playing the piano.
It's not enough. This was originally planned as a vehicle for Jon Hall and Maria Montez. Reportedly, Miss Montez, on seeing the script, refused the part. When the geniuses assigned the role to Miss De Carlo, they figured they didn't need Hall, and in the usual inspired manner, assigned Cameron as the leading man from SALOME WHEN SHE DANCED. Miss De Carlo doesn't dance, but she does sing, voice courtesy of Doreen Tryden.
"I don't want to be a bride! I want to be a widow!"
mark.waltz31 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
"I'm scorching!" a dizzy saloon girl tells stranger Rod Cameron upon his entrance into the bar to which he responds, "I don't care if you're on fire!", causing a brawl which saloon owner Yvonne deCarlo breaks up with the help of a whiskey bottle. Business goes on however as fists fly with other customers paying little mind to the fight as if it were an every day occurrence. This is a western "Taming of the Shrew" where sexy Rod kisses Yvonne passionately, gets a slap across the face, and simply just kisses her again. He then compares her kissing her to taming a colt, but even then that doesn't mean he wants to keep it, causing the now enamored De Carlo to insist on a wedding. But Cameron is wanted by the law and must serve a six year prison term. Will his feisty bride wait for him or move onto the many waiting admirers or will she drop another bombshell on him?
De Carlo speaks with a strange accent which is never identified even though her dubbed singing has absolutely no trace of an accent. Considering that she was a talented singer in her own right (listen to her legendary recording of "I'm Still Here" from "Follies"), dubbing her now seems a mistake, but MGM also did that with future Broadway musical legend Angela Lansbury as well! De Carlo's songs (three of them!) are pretty mediocre ("Set em' up, Joe. We gotta make dough!") although she still looks great, especially in Technicolor. If you want to see De Carlo sing on screen with her own voice, check out the adventure "Flame of the Islands" where she sings a very campy song called "Bahama Mama". She's also pretty handy with a gun, but will it prevent her from being brought down to earth by the very determined Rod Cameron? A scene of her waking up with an empty but worn looking spot in bed gives a definite impression of the marriage being consummated, pretty daring stuff considering the power of the production code.
Comic relief by Andy Devine and Fuzzy Knight helps make the unbelievable plot more tolerable. It never rings true that Cameron and De Carlo whose initial meetings are hot but far from loving would just decide to marry out of nowhere. Sheldon Leonard adds the villainy as the man who threatens to come between De Carlo and Cameron, and also the man who killed somebody that Cameron was blamed for. Beverly Simmons is cloying as an annoying little girl who keeps following Cameron all over. The plot moves forward when Cameron's former fiancée (the lady-like Jan Wiley) shows up with aunt Clara Blandick to claim him, making this much more convoluted and complicated than it need to be. So while this is often pleasant, it can be also a bit irritating when the story moves from feisty to family.
Fortunately, there is an exciting climax, complete with chase scene, a confrontation between hero and villain near the edge of a cliff, and a riveting scene with the little girl being held captive on a tree trunk that covers a ravine that appears to be on the verge of falling the gorge, and a final great line from Wiley that sums up the difference between the type of relationship which Cameron would have with her than the one he already has with De Carlo.
De Carlo speaks with a strange accent which is never identified even though her dubbed singing has absolutely no trace of an accent. Considering that she was a talented singer in her own right (listen to her legendary recording of "I'm Still Here" from "Follies"), dubbing her now seems a mistake, but MGM also did that with future Broadway musical legend Angela Lansbury as well! De Carlo's songs (three of them!) are pretty mediocre ("Set em' up, Joe. We gotta make dough!") although she still looks great, especially in Technicolor. If you want to see De Carlo sing on screen with her own voice, check out the adventure "Flame of the Islands" where she sings a very campy song called "Bahama Mama". She's also pretty handy with a gun, but will it prevent her from being brought down to earth by the very determined Rod Cameron? A scene of her waking up with an empty but worn looking spot in bed gives a definite impression of the marriage being consummated, pretty daring stuff considering the power of the production code.
Comic relief by Andy Devine and Fuzzy Knight helps make the unbelievable plot more tolerable. It never rings true that Cameron and De Carlo whose initial meetings are hot but far from loving would just decide to marry out of nowhere. Sheldon Leonard adds the villainy as the man who threatens to come between De Carlo and Cameron, and also the man who killed somebody that Cameron was blamed for. Beverly Simmons is cloying as an annoying little girl who keeps following Cameron all over. The plot moves forward when Cameron's former fiancée (the lady-like Jan Wiley) shows up with aunt Clara Blandick to claim him, making this much more convoluted and complicated than it need to be. So while this is often pleasant, it can be also a bit irritating when the story moves from feisty to family.
Fortunately, there is an exciting climax, complete with chase scene, a confrontation between hero and villain near the edge of a cliff, and a riveting scene with the little girl being held captive on a tree trunk that covers a ravine that appears to be on the verge of falling the gorge, and a final great line from Wiley that sums up the difference between the type of relationship which Cameron would have with her than the one he already has with De Carlo.
A Western Containing Music, Comedy, Drama and Action
Uriah431 June 2022
This film essentially begins with a drifter by the name of "Johnny Hart" (Rod Cameron) riding into a small town and upon noticing a nearby saloon decides to go inside for a drink. It's soon revealed that he is after a man who killed his partner but before he can identify the person, he becomes involved in a brawl which ends with an attractive woman named "Lorena Dumont" (Yvonne De Carlo) hitting him over the head with a whiskey bottle. Although she initially wants nothing to do with him, one thing leads to another and to their mutual surprise they get married within a couple of days. Unfortunately, things don't go quite as planned and not long afterward he is arrested for murder and is sent to prison. The scene then shifts to six years later with him having served his time and heading back to the same town to, once again, find the man who killed his partner. To his surprise, although his wife expresses no feelings toward him, he soon discovers that their one night together has produced a daughter-and whether they love each other or not--this creates its own unique problem that both of them have to resolve. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a rather odd Western which had a decent plot but for some reason didn't seem to quite realize its potential. I say this because the musical and comedic aspects didn't seem to mesh that well with the overall action and drama. At least, that's how it seemed to me. Be that as it may, while this certainly wasn't a bad film by any means, I believe a more serious approach should have been taken and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
A romantic western with a lot of comedy and action
daneldorado13 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I'm one of the lucky folks who got to see "Frontier Gal" in a brilliantly hued imbibition Technicolor print -- the kind of color that commands your attention, it is so glorious.
Rod Cameron plays Johnny Hart, a cowpoke on the wrong side of the law, but good-hearted nevertheless. He falls in love with Lorena (Yvonne deCarlo), a drop-dead beautiful saloon owner who, under her tough exterior, has feelings for him too. They get married, but after the honeymoon night, the law catches up with him and Johnny is sent away to prison.
Seven years go by, Johnny is released, and he tries to hook up with the bride he left behind. Now he discovers he's got a six-year-old daughter, Mary Ann (Beverly Simmons), and a wife who doesn't want her daughter associating with an ex-con, never mind that he's her father.
Sheldon Leonard is Blackie, leader of a gang that hates Johnny, and when he discovers his enemy has a little girl, Blackie has his gang kidnap the tyke. Johnny goes after the baddies and, after a brutal fight over a raging waterfall, rescues Mary Ann and returns her to Lorena.
In other commentaries, you will read words such as "a strangely satisfying conclusion," "unthinkable in today's films," and "politically incorrect," and you may wonder what the writers mean by that. Here it is: In the final scene of this western, Johnny puts his wife over his knee and gives her a good, sound spanking. After that, she realizes that he really loves her, and decides to accept him back into her life and their daughter's life.
When asked what she thought about that scene, Miss deCarlo said, "I think spankings are cute." Not your present-day P.C. attitude, perhaps, but it worked in 1945, spectacularly so. "Frontier Gal" made Yvonne deCarlo a front-line star at Universal and launched a brilliant film career.
Dan Navarro (daneldorado93@yahoo.com)
Rod Cameron plays Johnny Hart, a cowpoke on the wrong side of the law, but good-hearted nevertheless. He falls in love with Lorena (Yvonne deCarlo), a drop-dead beautiful saloon owner who, under her tough exterior, has feelings for him too. They get married, but after the honeymoon night, the law catches up with him and Johnny is sent away to prison.
Seven years go by, Johnny is released, and he tries to hook up with the bride he left behind. Now he discovers he's got a six-year-old daughter, Mary Ann (Beverly Simmons), and a wife who doesn't want her daughter associating with an ex-con, never mind that he's her father.
Sheldon Leonard is Blackie, leader of a gang that hates Johnny, and when he discovers his enemy has a little girl, Blackie has his gang kidnap the tyke. Johnny goes after the baddies and, after a brutal fight over a raging waterfall, rescues Mary Ann and returns her to Lorena.
In other commentaries, you will read words such as "a strangely satisfying conclusion," "unthinkable in today's films," and "politically incorrect," and you may wonder what the writers mean by that. Here it is: In the final scene of this western, Johnny puts his wife over his knee and gives her a good, sound spanking. After that, she realizes that he really loves her, and decides to accept him back into her life and their daughter's life.
When asked what she thought about that scene, Miss deCarlo said, "I think spankings are cute." Not your present-day P.C. attitude, perhaps, but it worked in 1945, spectacularly so. "Frontier Gal" made Yvonne deCarlo a front-line star at Universal and launched a brilliant film career.
Dan Navarro (daneldorado93@yahoo.com)
"Now who's the boss turkey?"
classicsoncall3 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
All the while I'm watching this story, it seemed like a parody Western to me. Where else have you seen a bead studded holster like the one Johnny Hart (Rod Cameron) wore; he looked like he belonged in "Blazing Saddles" along side Cleavon Little. The principal villain Blackie (Sheldon Leonard) struck me the same way too with the Snidely Whiplash mustache and odd wardrobe. And then there was the interminable slap and kiss routine between Cameron's character and Yvonne De Carlo's Lorena Dumont. Gee, two or three times would have been enough, but even after that exchange they went for a bonus round later in the picture.
I don't know, this movie just didn't feel right to me. Cameron himself looked like he might have been trying to channel Randolph Scott, what with all the outfit changes and a look that resembled his contemporary. Scott wouldn't have gotten involved in all the gimmicks though, like using the old tree escape from a posse chasing on horseback, not once but twice. Then, when Johnny gets hustled off to jail for manslaughter, the six year interlude blew by in a flash, not even a commercial break could have fixed that disconnect.
And gosh - who thought it was a good idea for the six year old daughter of Hart and Rena to shoot a rattlesnake in her bedroom? Boy, the filmmakers sure were stretching for ideas there. With the chemistry and motivations being all wrong in the story between the principals, I just couldn't warm up to this one, even with Andy Devine and Fuzzy Knight in the cast. Come to think of it, even they didn't seem up to their normal hi-jinks. I think I'll go watch "Blazing Saddles" again.
I don't know, this movie just didn't feel right to me. Cameron himself looked like he might have been trying to channel Randolph Scott, what with all the outfit changes and a look that resembled his contemporary. Scott wouldn't have gotten involved in all the gimmicks though, like using the old tree escape from a posse chasing on horseback, not once but twice. Then, when Johnny gets hustled off to jail for manslaughter, the six year interlude blew by in a flash, not even a commercial break could have fixed that disconnect.
And gosh - who thought it was a good idea for the six year old daughter of Hart and Rena to shoot a rattlesnake in her bedroom? Boy, the filmmakers sure were stretching for ideas there. With the chemistry and motivations being all wrong in the story between the principals, I just couldn't warm up to this one, even with Andy Devine and Fuzzy Knight in the cast. Come to think of it, even they didn't seem up to their normal hi-jinks. I think I'll go watch "Blazing Saddles" again.
Pleasing if you don't take it too seriously
Dfree525 June 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I came across this on YouTube after viewing a website that highlighted women in westerns from the 40s and 50s.
I picked this at random and was very surprised at the result.
In Technicolor, the ravishing, raven haired Yvonne DeCarlo is Lorena who runs and is the star attraction of her own saloon. Drifter Jonathan Hart (Rod Cameron) wanders in and almost immediately gets into a brawl with Blackie (Sheldon Leonard) and his gang.
***POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT***
When Lorena tells Jonathan she doesn't allow fighting in her place, the sparks between the two start to fly.Each time Lorena winds up and slaps Jonathan...Jonathan grabs her and lays a passionate kiss on her. This continues for a while, Lorena is both angered and aroused and is carried off to her boudoir.
A shotgun wedding of sorts ensues, but Jonathan is sent to prison by his rival for Lorena, Blackie. Jonathan returns 6 years later and finds that he's a daddy of a little girl, Lorena is her mommy. Jonathan is now faced with the prospect of instant fatherhood and coping with the ultra independent Lorena, who can take care of her self and their child.
There's music, dance,and some comedy...plus a climax near a waterfall. Along for the ride are Andy Devine and Fuzzy Knight. The tone reminds one of the Taming of the Shrew.
There's action at the conclusion and a reckoning of Lorena and Jonathan, while Lorena is over his knee.
Odd mix of western action, music, comedy and perhaps 1945 political correctness, but it works. Cameron and DeCarlo are great together and remind you of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man. Oh yeah, the climax of this movie will remind you of Wayne/O'Hara in McClintock! too.
I picked this at random and was very surprised at the result.
In Technicolor, the ravishing, raven haired Yvonne DeCarlo is Lorena who runs and is the star attraction of her own saloon. Drifter Jonathan Hart (Rod Cameron) wanders in and almost immediately gets into a brawl with Blackie (Sheldon Leonard) and his gang.
***POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT***
When Lorena tells Jonathan she doesn't allow fighting in her place, the sparks between the two start to fly.Each time Lorena winds up and slaps Jonathan...Jonathan grabs her and lays a passionate kiss on her. This continues for a while, Lorena is both angered and aroused and is carried off to her boudoir.
A shotgun wedding of sorts ensues, but Jonathan is sent to prison by his rival for Lorena, Blackie. Jonathan returns 6 years later and finds that he's a daddy of a little girl, Lorena is her mommy. Jonathan is now faced with the prospect of instant fatherhood and coping with the ultra independent Lorena, who can take care of her self and their child.
There's music, dance,and some comedy...plus a climax near a waterfall. Along for the ride are Andy Devine and Fuzzy Knight. The tone reminds one of the Taming of the Shrew.
There's action at the conclusion and a reckoning of Lorena and Jonathan, while Lorena is over his knee.
Odd mix of western action, music, comedy and perhaps 1945 political correctness, but it works. Cameron and DeCarlo are great together and remind you of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man. Oh yeah, the climax of this movie will remind you of Wayne/O'Hara in McClintock! too.
Moderate comedy western
debbiemathers16 July 2022
Originally meant to be a vehicle for Maria Montez who didn't like the script - allegedly the spanking scene at the end - so the part went to Yvonne de Carlo, who thought that the spanking was 'cute'. The movie is fairly predictable in its taming-of-the-shrew type of rumbustious humour with plenty of fights and a prolonged spanking of our feisty heroine's pert bottom at the end, after which, of course, all is well. Well according to Western if not #MeToo. Cute performance by the child actress who manages not to be too annoying.
another rory calhoun dud
sandcrab27717 March 2019
Except for yvonne de carlo this film is a waste of time and technicolor ... its an old story ...outlaw on the run meets pretty woman and she falls for him ... watch a roy rodgers western if you want music ...have you ever seen rory calhoun smile ? its not in his genes, its all serious business first then death ... avoid at all costs
The shrew wasn't willing?!
hitchcockthelegend3 August 2019
Frontier Gal (AKA: The Bride Wasn't Willing) is directed by Charles Lamont and written by Michael Fessier and Ernest Pagano. It stars Rod Cameron, Yvonne De Carlo, Andy Devine, Fuzzy Knight, Sheldon Leonard, Andrew Tombes and Clara Blandwick. Music is by Frank Skinner and Technicolor photography is shared by Charles Boyle and George Robinson.
What a mixed bag of a film! It begins with the high speed pursuit of Rod Cameron on horseback. He's our man in black and we shunt our way through absolutely gorgeous Technicolor enhanced locales. From there he hits town and quickly flirts with a ravishing De Carlo, flirting that goes so far as to use sexually playful violence as part of the process. This annoys local dude Sheldon Leonard, a macho muscle flexing contest occurs, a faux wedding is strangely arranged, Cameron bogs off for a few years, comes back to town, finds he has a daughter with De Carlo and the pair carry on warring as secrets begin to will out.
The story itself is utterly bonkers and tonally it is never at ease with itself as it unconvincingly tries to blend offbeat farce, action, drama and musical numbers. Some of the location photography around Kernville and Mammoth Lakes is sumptuous, the costuming gorgeous and sparkling in Technicolor (with a top print of the film now available). Yet these tech highpoints are undone by some real creaky money saving stage work, notably for the big finale as the scenery props wobble and the big dramatic "child in life threatening peril" sequences are blighted by appalling process work.
Cast are fine, very likable stars who are in on the nutty nature of the beast, with Beverly Sue Simmons as the precocious child of the play something of a revelation. The musical score is standard throwaway stuff from Skinner, likewise De Carlo's musical numbers - where I'm not convinced she is actually singing herself? There's also plenty here for the politically correct to get in a twist about, but personally it doesn't bother myself as I take it as intended for the era it was made. So all told, approach with caution because it's all over the place, but as wacky and as frustrating as it is, I still kind of enjoyed it - sort of... 5/10
What a mixed bag of a film! It begins with the high speed pursuit of Rod Cameron on horseback. He's our man in black and we shunt our way through absolutely gorgeous Technicolor enhanced locales. From there he hits town and quickly flirts with a ravishing De Carlo, flirting that goes so far as to use sexually playful violence as part of the process. This annoys local dude Sheldon Leonard, a macho muscle flexing contest occurs, a faux wedding is strangely arranged, Cameron bogs off for a few years, comes back to town, finds he has a daughter with De Carlo and the pair carry on warring as secrets begin to will out.
The story itself is utterly bonkers and tonally it is never at ease with itself as it unconvincingly tries to blend offbeat farce, action, drama and musical numbers. Some of the location photography around Kernville and Mammoth Lakes is sumptuous, the costuming gorgeous and sparkling in Technicolor (with a top print of the film now available). Yet these tech highpoints are undone by some real creaky money saving stage work, notably for the big finale as the scenery props wobble and the big dramatic "child in life threatening peril" sequences are blighted by appalling process work.
Cast are fine, very likable stars who are in on the nutty nature of the beast, with Beverly Sue Simmons as the precocious child of the play something of a revelation. The musical score is standard throwaway stuff from Skinner, likewise De Carlo's musical numbers - where I'm not convinced she is actually singing herself? There's also plenty here for the politically correct to get in a twist about, but personally it doesn't bother myself as I take it as intended for the era it was made. So all told, approach with caution because it's all over the place, but as wacky and as frustrating as it is, I still kind of enjoyed it - sort of... 5/10
Fanciful Fun in the Old West
nstn671725 January 2000
This is an atypical western. Here there is more humour than suspense, and humour of a timeless nature. When a man loves a woman, or vice versa, there are always trouble spots and the inevitable consequences of the loving union. Take the timeless difficulties between the genders and the mischief of their offspring and you have quite an entertaining and engrossing story. There is a thrilling ending to this romp in the west, and definitely some exaggerated but not politically correct philosophies that reflect the attitudes prevalent in the era when the movie was made. But it is all good fun!
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
weezeralfalfa23 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Poor beautiful Lorena(Yvonne De Carlo) spends most of this rare,for the times, Technicolor B western scowling and throwing things at tall handsome Johnny Hart(Rod Cameron) because he seems to have no heart for her. The romantic relationships in this wacky western make no sense at all! Johnny rides into town, a stranger. Brassy Lorena, who owns and stars in the town saloon, decides he's the right man for her after he brazenly grabs and kisses her in public, not once, but in a series, with a slap from her after each. Soon, she announces to her acquaintances that she's going to marry him. Only trouble is she forgot to ask him if he's agreeable. Horrors, he wouldn't marry her if she were the last woman on earth! Why? Because she's a low class saloon entertainer, albeit a very beautiful and colorful one. Never mind that he's an escaped convict, which she doesn't know about quite yet. Well, Lorena pulls a gun on Johnny and tells him he's gonna marry her, like it or not. He acquiesces. They have a very simple 'shotgun' wedding: no guests, no kiss, just angry looks and words. She spends the rest of the film being furious at Johnny, throwing things at him, even using him for target practice. Yes, hell hath no fury like Lorena scorned!
After Johnny returns from a 6 year further prison sentence(which seems more like 6 mins.!), they talk about their future. Johnny asks her if she's going to divorce him. She answers: not if that would make him happy. He discovers he has a 6 year old daughter(Mary Ann). At first, he's not interested in her, but gradually she grows on him after he takes her to his ranch to get her away from the saloon environment. Johnny decides he's going to settle down and raise his daughter, but who is his wife going to be? He decides to invite his old straight-laced girlfriend Shella, who presumably has been waiting for him to reappear all these years! Shella arrives at his ranch with her loud-mouthed spinster aunt. Unfortunately, Johnny's friends thought he meant that he was going to ask Lorena if she would come live with him, which they communicate to Lorena. She sells her saloon and rides out, ready to live with Johnny. Confusion reigns when the various parties meet at his ranch. In the confusion, Blackie, Lorena's long time shady boyfriend, comes and abducts Mary Ann, hoping to lure Johnny into a lethal showdown. He takes the bait and rides after Blackie. Half the town follows a little later. Johnny and Blackie have a long scuffle and guess who wins.Then, Johnny has to rescue Mary Ann, who has crawled onto a precarious log overhanging a large waterfall.After all this trouble, Lorena still has angry words for him when they meet, so he gives her a good paddling over his knee. Mary Ann says that must mean he loves her, and Lorena agrees after a few minutes. Shella has seen enough and pulls out of the romantic competition. End of story. The closing background ballad ends with "If you're gonna be bad, you'd better be good".
Well, the plot may be unbelievable, but if you like plenty of colorful man-woman verbal and physical fights, this is the right film. On the whole, it's a fun movie. Johnny also gets into several scuffles with men. The inclusion of Mary Ann as a major part of the second half of the film serves to soften all these negative adult interactions. The inclusion of character actors Andy Devine, Fuzzy Knight, and Frank Lackteen serves a similar purpose. The contest between Lorena and Shella plus her aunt over Johnny very much reminds me of the John Wayne western "Tall in the Saddle", released just the previous year. In that film, a wild cat brunette, rather like Lorena, and a straight-laced blond from the East plus her talkative spinster aunt are both interested in Wayne near the end of the film, and again the wildcat brunette wins.
The long spanking scene at the end is what some people most remember about this film. Earlier, Mary Ann had gotten hers. Somewhere, she had gotten the idea that a spanking was a sure sign of love. In the '30s through the '60s, occasionally a Hollywood film would include the male lead spanking the female lead. Some notable examples are seen in 'McClintock", "Across the Wide Missouri" and "Kiss Me Kate" and an "I Love Lucy" TV episode. There were many more, most viewable at You Tube, if interested. In contrast, women spanking men has pretty much been relegated to deviant sexual portrayal films. In some cases, the spanking was an immediate response to a slap or other physical violence by the woman. In other cases, as in the present film, it was a response to a long bout of shrewish behavior. In still other cases, it related to a specific non-violent act by the woman. With the woman's lib movement of the '60s, this sort of thing pretty much disappeared from conventional films and TV.
Yvonne spent her early Hollywood years mostly playing temptresses or cowpoke gals in low budget films. Her few A films came later, in "The Ten Commandments" and "Band of Angels", where her dark Sicilian looks were especially appropriate for the plot.
As of 2015, this is now available on a no frills DVD and on You Tube.
After Johnny returns from a 6 year further prison sentence(which seems more like 6 mins.!), they talk about their future. Johnny asks her if she's going to divorce him. She answers: not if that would make him happy. He discovers he has a 6 year old daughter(Mary Ann). At first, he's not interested in her, but gradually she grows on him after he takes her to his ranch to get her away from the saloon environment. Johnny decides he's going to settle down and raise his daughter, but who is his wife going to be? He decides to invite his old straight-laced girlfriend Shella, who presumably has been waiting for him to reappear all these years! Shella arrives at his ranch with her loud-mouthed spinster aunt. Unfortunately, Johnny's friends thought he meant that he was going to ask Lorena if she would come live with him, which they communicate to Lorena. She sells her saloon and rides out, ready to live with Johnny. Confusion reigns when the various parties meet at his ranch. In the confusion, Blackie, Lorena's long time shady boyfriend, comes and abducts Mary Ann, hoping to lure Johnny into a lethal showdown. He takes the bait and rides after Blackie. Half the town follows a little later. Johnny and Blackie have a long scuffle and guess who wins.Then, Johnny has to rescue Mary Ann, who has crawled onto a precarious log overhanging a large waterfall.After all this trouble, Lorena still has angry words for him when they meet, so he gives her a good paddling over his knee. Mary Ann says that must mean he loves her, and Lorena agrees after a few minutes. Shella has seen enough and pulls out of the romantic competition. End of story. The closing background ballad ends with "If you're gonna be bad, you'd better be good".
Well, the plot may be unbelievable, but if you like plenty of colorful man-woman verbal and physical fights, this is the right film. On the whole, it's a fun movie. Johnny also gets into several scuffles with men. The inclusion of Mary Ann as a major part of the second half of the film serves to soften all these negative adult interactions. The inclusion of character actors Andy Devine, Fuzzy Knight, and Frank Lackteen serves a similar purpose. The contest between Lorena and Shella plus her aunt over Johnny very much reminds me of the John Wayne western "Tall in the Saddle", released just the previous year. In that film, a wild cat brunette, rather like Lorena, and a straight-laced blond from the East plus her talkative spinster aunt are both interested in Wayne near the end of the film, and again the wildcat brunette wins.
The long spanking scene at the end is what some people most remember about this film. Earlier, Mary Ann had gotten hers. Somewhere, she had gotten the idea that a spanking was a sure sign of love. In the '30s through the '60s, occasionally a Hollywood film would include the male lead spanking the female lead. Some notable examples are seen in 'McClintock", "Across the Wide Missouri" and "Kiss Me Kate" and an "I Love Lucy" TV episode. There were many more, most viewable at You Tube, if interested. In contrast, women spanking men has pretty much been relegated to deviant sexual portrayal films. In some cases, the spanking was an immediate response to a slap or other physical violence by the woman. In other cases, as in the present film, it was a response to a long bout of shrewish behavior. In still other cases, it related to a specific non-violent act by the woman. With the woman's lib movement of the '60s, this sort of thing pretty much disappeared from conventional films and TV.
Yvonne spent her early Hollywood years mostly playing temptresses or cowpoke gals in low budget films. Her few A films came later, in "The Ten Commandments" and "Band of Angels", where her dark Sicilian looks were especially appropriate for the plot.
As of 2015, this is now available on a no frills DVD and on You Tube.
Frontier gal
wylecoyote032111 January 2007
I love Western Movies, this was one great movie, it an oldies, but I wish every Western Movie lover to see this Movie, it was one of the first Movies in color.
this Movie concern a western cowboy, who the law was looking for , this guy after going to jail and getting out , return to see this good looking girl he had a brief affair with, the surprise was he did not know they had a daughter together, one of the surprise of this movie, this young girl { daughter }. really did a great job of action in this Movie, i highly recommend this Movie, but I do not think you will be able too, it an old classic.
this Movie concern a western cowboy, who the law was looking for , this guy after going to jail and getting out , return to see this good looking girl he had a brief affair with, the surprise was he did not know they had a daughter together, one of the surprise of this movie, this young girl { daughter }. really did a great job of action in this Movie, i highly recommend this Movie, but I do not think you will be able too, it an old classic.
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