Backlash (1956)

Jim Slater seeks a survivor of the Apache ambush his father died in.

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

Frank Gruber (novel), Borden Chase (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Widmark, Donna Reed, William Campbell

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard Widmark	...	Jim Slater
Donna Reed	...	Karyl Orton
William Campbell	...	Johnny Cool
John McIntire	...	Jim Bonniwell
Barton MacLane	...	Sgt. George Lake
Harry Morgan	...	Tony Welker
Robert J. Wilke	...	Jeff Welker
Jack Lambert	...	Mike Benton
Roy Roberts	...	Maj. Carson
Edward Platt	...	Sheriff J.C. Marson (as Edward C. Platt)
Robert Foulk	...	Sheriff John F. Olson
Phil Chambers	...	Deputy Sheriff Dobbs
Gregg Barton	...	Sleepy
Fred Graham	...	Ned McCloud
Frank Chase	...	Cassidy, Shotgun Rider

Storyline

Jim Slater's father (whom he never knew) died in the Apache ambush at Gila Valley, and Jim is searching for the one survivor, who supposedly went for help but disappeared with a lot of gold. In the process, he gets several people gunning for him, and he keeps meeting liberated woman Karyl Orton, who may be on a similar mission. Renewed Apache hostilities and an impending range war provide complications.

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Plot Keywords:

gila valley arizona | arizona territory | apache territory | apache indian | u.s. cavalry | 

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Taglines:

HE KNEW HER LIPS...BUT NOT HER NAME...nor the reason she followed the trail of empty graves!

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Genres:

Mystery | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 April 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Padre contra hijo

Filming Locations:

Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,025,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$1,600,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director John Sturges hired several hundred Papago Native Americans to play Indians in this film.

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Goofs

Karyl Orton's underwear is appropriate for the 1950s, but not the nineteenth century

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Quotes

Jim Slater: Oh no, not again! You know, a man can get awful tired of bein' shot at.

User Reviews

Donna Reed's Clothes

Where does Donna Reed keep the many beautiful dresses she wears? She travels on horse-back...

I would like to submit the fact that Donna Reed never wore a dress in the movie Backlash. As a matter of fact in the early part of the movie she was in slightly tight trousers and for the remainder of the movie she was in culottes.

She did use her blouse to dress Richard Widmark's wound earlier and one must wonder where she got a blouse to wear for the rest of the movie. But, who's counting.

But that doesn't matter with regard to the above comment as Donna Reed was an extremely beautiful woman who always acted to the extent that was required of her. She did so very well in this movie even though she only contributed a blouse from her saddle bag to dress Richard Widmarks wound.

Was the scene where she dressed Widmark's wound believable? No, of course not. Was it sexy, yes very much so. Was its sexiness out of order for the fifties? Of course not.

You put the beautiful Donna Reed in a movie and leave out her sexiness and you have committed the most grievous of sins.

It was a good movie.

Doufus