The Cheyenne Social Club (1970)

An aging cowboy finds to his embarrassment that the successful business he has inherited from his brother is actually a house of prostitution.

Director:

Gene Kelly

Writers:

James Lee Barrett, Davis Grubb (novel)

Stars:

James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Shirley Jones

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Stewart	...	John O'Hanlan
Henry Fonda	...	Harley Sullivan
Shirley Jones	...	Jenny
Sue Ane Langdon	...	Opal Ann
Elaine Devry	...	Pauline
Robert Middleton	...	Barkeep - Great Plains Saloon
Arch Johnson	...	Marshal Anderson
Dabbs Greer	...	Willowby
Jackie Russell	...	Carrie Virginia
Jackie Joseph	...	Annie Jo
Sharon DeBord	...	Sara Jean (as Sharon De Bord)
Richard Collier	...	Nathan Potter
Charles Tyner	...	Charlie Bannister
Jean Willes	...	Alice
Robert J. Wilke	...	Corey Bannister

Storyline

Out of the blue, the grizzled farm hand, John O'Hanlan, receives an unexpected letter from an unknown solicitor in the far off town of Cheyenne, Wyoming, informing him that he is the proud owner of the Cheyenne Social Club, now that his estranged brother, D.J., has passed away. Eager to trade in the dusty landscapes of 1867 Texas for an easy life as a businessman--and at the same time intrigued--John sets out on a long trip along with his best friend, Harley Sullivan, to create a better future for himself. Somehow, John's newest and only acquisition has both a good and a bad reputation; either way, the establishment's inexperienced manager now holds the fates of its loyal staff in his hands: a beautiful sextet of dedicated, and above all, popular female employees. However, is John cut out for business?

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Plot Keywords:

1860s | henchman | song | singer | singing | 

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Taglines:

They made their own laws at "The Cheyenne Social Club" ... no wonder everyone's dying to get in!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

GP

Did You Know?

Trivia

The political subtext was a reference to the real-life political differences of James Stewart and Henry Fonda.

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Goofs

As John and Harley sit at the table waiting for their steaks after the gunfight, John pours Harley then himself a whiskey, the color of the which is pale. When John talks to the Marshal moments later, he holds up his glass, and the whiskey is a shade darker. In the next shot of John and Harley, John's whiskey is back to its original color.

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Quotes

Barkeep - Great Plains Saloon: [O'Hanlon enters the saloon, looking for the man who beat up Jenny] What do you want, O'Hanlon?
John O'Hanlan: The man that beat up one of my... one of my girls. They tell me his name is Corey Bannister, and they tell me I can recognize him by a streak of yellow down his back.

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Connections

Featured in Fonda on Fonda (1992)

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Soundtracks

Rolling Stone
Music and Lyrics by Walter Scharf, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn
Performed by Henry Fonda (uncredited)

User Reviews

The calming influence of Stewart and Fonda

No matter how many movies teamed Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda, it was not enough. Gene Kelly directs the pair here in a simple story of long-time friendship in the Old West, familiar ground, sure, but a story that always brings a smile to my face.

When John O'Hanlan (Stewart) discovers that his long lost brother has died, he's surprised to find that he has inherited a business. Enthusiastically he crosses the country from Texas to Cheyenne to become ‘a man of property', just what he's always wanted.

But the Cheyenne Social Club, his business, is a brothel. The premiere brothel in this boom town, sure, but that's not exactly what O'Hanlan had in mind. Thankfully his riding partner Harley Sullivan (Fonda) has tagged along, Harley may have his own point of view on most things, but he does smooth out many of the rough spots they encounter along the way.

Story is predictable, the climax is anti-climatic, but, who cares when you get to see these on-screen buddies in a buddy movie defined.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 June 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Cheyenne Social Club

Filming Locations:

Bonanza Creek Ranch - 15 Bonanza Creek Lane, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$107,300

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eaves Movie Ranch, National General Pictures, National General Production Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1