Directed by Edwin L. Marin
Produced by Saul Elkins
Written by Thomas W. Blackburn
Director Of Photography: Wilfred M. Cline
Film Editor: Frank Magee
Music by William Lava
Cast: Randolph Scott (Steve Farrell), Ruth Roman (Beth Donovan), Zachary Scott (Jason Brett), Lloyd Bridges (Paul Donovan), Alan Hale, Sr. (Sheriff Harris), Ian MacDonald (Miller), Chief Thundercloud (Walking Bear), Luther Crockett (Judge Tucker), Walter Coy (Carl), Charles Evans (Redrock Sheriff), Carl Andre (Indian), Clyde Hudkins, Jr. (Indian), Leroy Johnson (Indian), Stanley Andrews (Sheriff)
In the late 40s, Randolph Scott made the career decision to stick to Westerns. It was a move that certainly paid off. His medium-budget Westerns made money, both for himself and whatever studio he was in cahoots with (most often Columbia or WB). Of course, many of them are excellent, true landmarks along with 50s Westerns trail.
With Colt .45 (1950), Scott began an arrangement with Warner Bros. It was directed by Edwin L. Marin, who was under contract to WB — and had previously worked with Scott on pictures like Abilene Town (1946), Fighting Man Of The Plains (1949) and The Cariboo Trail (1950).
Here, Scott is Steve Farrell, a gun salesman making the rounds with the new Colt .45 repeating pistols. The guns are stolen by the slimy outlaw Jason Brett (Zachary Scott), who almost immediately kicks off a successful string of holdups — outgunning everybody with his stolen weaponry. Meanwhile, Farrell’s been jailed as a suspected accomplice.
Freed and equipped with a new pair of Colts, Farrell sets out on Brett’s trail. The next thing you know, a young married couple (Lloyd Bridges and Ruth Roman), a crooked sheriff (Alan Hale, Sr. in his last picture) and a band of Indians led by Chief Walking Bear (Chief Thundercloud) are all wrapped up in things.
It all makes for a rather ludicrous, and surprising violent, 74 minutes. Director Edwin Marin keeps things moving so fast and furious, you don’t really notice how silly it is, or how high Zachary Scott’s body count is getting.
Randolph Scott is his usual cool, collected, heroic self. Zachary Scott is so bad he’s almost cartoonish. He was born to play crooks like this. Ruth Roman is beautiful, strong and resourceful — much too good for Lloyd Bridges as her weasel of a husband.
The script is the work of Thomas Blackburn, who’d later write Scott’s Riding Shotgun (1954) and Disney’s Davy Crockett TV shows (including the lyrics to the song!). The score for Colt .45 was composed by William Lava, and it’s excellent.
The picture’s gorgeous Technicolor cinematography comes from the masterful Wilfred M. Cline. Cline shot a number of Randolph Scott Westerns, Calamity Jane (1953), The Last Wagon (1956), the under-appreciated Face Of A Fugitive (1959), William Castle’s marvelous The Tingler (1959) and over 75 episodes of The Big Valley. Plus, he was on the crew of a little thing called Gone With The Wind (1939).
Cline’s work on Colt .45 is really highlighted on the new Blu-Ray from Warner Archive. I always thought the old DVD looked pretty good, but it can’t hold a foot-candle to this. Warner Archive just keeps on showing us how good old Technicolor can look. This one’s stunning. They’ve loaded the disc with some really cool extras — the short “So You Want To Have A Party” and the great Bugs Bunny cartoon “Hillbilly Hare.”
Colt .45 on Blu-Ray comes highly, highly recommended. It has me imagining other Technicolor Scotts, like The Bounty Hunter (1954) and Tall Man Riding (1955), looking just as good. Wow.
50 Westerns From The 50s. 