A pistol-packing tomboy and her grandfather discover a band of bank robbing bandits taking refuge in the neighboring ghost town.
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Title: Yellow Sky (1948)
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2 wins.
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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 | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
See All (36) »
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. Written by E.W. DesMarais <jlongst@aol.com>
Plot Keywords:
arizona desert | arizona | arizona territory | territory | apache indian |Taglines:
It was a moment for being a woman for only a woman's weapon could keep her alive... now! See more »Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
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See more on IMDbPro »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
January 1949 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Herrin der toten Stadt See more »Edit
Box Office
Gross USA:
$5,600,000, 31 December 1948Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (FMC Library Print)Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Initially, Paulette Goddard was cast as Mike. See more »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. See more »Crazy Credits
Opening credits prologue: The West - 1867 See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Yellow Sky (1948)
A classic and somewhat formulaic, beautifully photographed Western with a couple small twists. The main thing you might not catch is that this is an adaptation of "The Tempest," by Shakespeare. Here, the band of travelers crosses a metaphoric sea (the desert) and reaches a "New World" where they sort out what matters between them. The set was built (and deliberately destroyed) from an old silent film set that was left over.
Of note--Gregory Peck and Richard Widmark together for their only time, and they inevitably end up as enemies. The setting is the amazing and deadly Death Valley, and the locations shooting is shot there for authenticity. William Wellman was one of those consistently excellent directors who never really made a bad film, but didn't always make exceptional ones, and this one is right in his usual mix of strong visuals, tight editing, fairly simple dramatic plots, and a key actor or two to identify with.
Ann Baxter is the third leading character, and she's pretty much right on, with some grit and determination, but also a little too isolated for her own good. She's a kind of parallel to the really touch Mercedes McCambridge in "Johnny Guitar," a far more inventive movie, but one where an isolated woman (or two) have to fight off the greedy male rabble. Sort of like life, sometimes. Note that "Johnny Guitar" is four years later.
Besides Wellman's expertise, cinematographer Joe MacDonald's work is really worth noticing, for once again he helps elevate a fairly straightforward plot into something hard bitten, layered, and beautiful. MacDonald, born in Mexico, really came into his own by the late forties, and is behind a whole bunch of noir and western classics (as well as the famous "How to Marry a Millionaire"). In all, it's a really good movie, no question.