Fox Fire (1955)

In Arizona, during the 1950s, privileged white girl Amanda Lawrence marries half-Apache mining engineer Jonathan Dartland who dreams of finding gold in an old abandoned Apache mine.

Director:

Joseph Pevney

Writers:

Anya Seton (based on novel by), Ketti Frings (screenplay)

Stars:

Jane Russell, Jeff Chandler, Dan Duryea

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jane Russell	...	Amanda Lawrence
Jeff Chandler	...	Jonathan Dartland
Dan Duryea	...	Hugh Slater
Mara Corday	...	Maria - Hugh's Nurse
Barton MacLane	...	Jim Mablett
Frieda Inescort	...	Mrs. Lawrence
Celia Lovsky	...	Princess Saba
Eddy Waller	...	Old Larky (as Eddy C. Waller)
Robert F. Simon	...	Ernest Tyson
Charlotte Wynters	...	Mrs. Mablett
Robert Bice	...	Walt Whitman
Arthur Space	...	Foley

Storyline

Amanda Dartland accompanies her half-Apache husband Jonathan to a mining community where he will supervise the excavation of an almost mythical Apache treasure. His jealous rages and macho attitude cause her much misery, while the excavation project is threatened by prejudice and fear. Amanda tries to bridge the cultural gap, and Jonathan must do the same, or he will lose her. Mesmerizing brief performance by Celia Lovsky as Princess Saba.

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Plot Keywords:

arizona territory | arizona | mixed marriage | mining town | apache tribe | 

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Taglines:

Living every impassioned page of Anya Seton's great best seller! (original poster)

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 August 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

De dorst naar liefde

Filming Locations:

Kingman, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was being shown in the theater of the ocean liner Andrea Doria, when she was struck (and consequently eventually sunk) by the liner Stockholm on 25-26 July, 1956. The film was interrupted by the collision.

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Quotes

Saba: [Indicating, to a tour group, a gathering of young Apache boys on the Reservation] A child here has little contact with his father who, in the old days, was usually away hunting. Today, the father is still much away. He works on the Reservation cattle range. As you see, the little boys play, and have few responsibilities. But there comes a day when they are twelve. Here is a little one, ready to leave his mother and go with the men. From now on, he will work and hunt with the men. Eat and live ...
[...]

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Soundtracks

Foxfire
Music by Henry Mancini
Lyrics by Jeff Chandler

User Reviews

Jane and Jeff - The kind of casting that kept U.-I. on the map!

Universal-International was a busy little hive of audience-pleasing eye candy back in the Fifties and it probably employed more "starlets" and up-and-coming hunks in its stable of contractees than all of its major studio rivals combined. Some of U.-I.'s output contained some very worthwhile elements amidst the Technicolored trappings. This one offered some fairly well-considered insights on the marital tribulations encountered when two people from very dissimilar backgrounds and outlooks on life attempt to make of their marriage vows more than just a ritual they once pronounced when their union began.

Jane Russell seemed well paired with the tall and handsome Jeff Chandler and the locations look authentic enough for the story to hold one's interest. Celia Lovsky, always an actress who could win an audience's favor in the briefest of roles (and, alas, she was never allotted more than a few scenes in most of her films), scores once again in "Foxfire." This is one to watch for if you notice it scheduled on a late-night or early afternoon TV broadcast.