Cattle Queen of Montana

Title: Cattle Queen of Montana opened in theaters on November 18, 1954 and it was 88 minutes long. Cattle Queen of Montana is an American Western film starring Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan. The supporting cast includes Jack Elam, Chubby Johnson, and Morris Ankrum, and Allan Dwan directed the movie.

Summary: Filmed on location at Montana's Glacier National Park, Cattle Queen of Montana makes excellent use of the diverse talents of Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan. Stanwyck is cast as Sierra Nevada Jones... read more, who hopes to stake her claim in the cattle business despite opposition from hostile land barons. Government agent Farrell helps her along, even though he's officially on hand to find out who's been inciting the local Indian tribes into attacking the whites. Lance Fuller delivers a well-balanced performance as Colorados, a college-educated Indian chief who hopes to bring peace to the land. Long a fixture of TV's Late Shows, Cattle Queen of Montana was briefly reissued theatrically when Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

My thoughts: Based on the scenery and the cattle I give this movie 7 weasel stars.

Famed Western with a magnificent Barbara Stanwick and a splendid Ronald Regan who is ideal as a mysterious gunslinger . This Western movie produced by RKO , Radio Picture Inc , deals with confrontation between cattlemen and settlers . This exciting picture tells the story of the Jones family , formed by father , J.I. 'Pop' Jones (Morris Ankrum) , and his gutsy daughter (Barbara Stanwyck with the super name Sierra Nevada Jones) , both of them about to prove claim to prime Montana land . Then , they are attacked by rebel Indians led by Natchakoa (Anthony Caruso) in league with nasty neighbor McCord (Gene Evans) , the latter gets most of the stolen cattle and their lands . Nobody is willing to help them ; however , appearing a good guy , a college-educated chief's son called Colorados (Lance Fuller) and two survivors are helped by him . Later on , there appears a good-looking gunfighter , Farrell (Ronald Regan) , investigating weapon smuggling and livestock rustlings and with whom Nevada Jones falls in love . Now Sierra Nevada Jones must confront enemies , as villainous outlaws , as Indians raids .

This classic western is plenty of thrills and emotion as showdown approaches and the protagonists realize he must stand alone against impossible odds , while Nevada Jones attempts to clear her father's murder . The flick is of a higher than habitual calibre for a regular oater , filled with betrayals , hateful , ambition and Indian uprising. Montana prairies provide the backstage for a torrid love between Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Regan . Western fans will enjoy the continuous pursuits and confrontations among a brave Stanwyck supported Reagan , being raided by Indians , and against ominous villains as Gene Evans , Jack Elam , Anthony Caruso . Furthermore, an exciting ending climax at the meadows in which the protagonists are besieged by Indians and cutthroats . Nice acting by Barbara Stanwyck , she stars an uncomplicated lady who fights for her land against legal technicalities and assorted villains . Barbara Stanwyck as usual did her own stuntwork , so impressing the local Blackfoot Indians that they named her Princess Many Victories and made her an honorary member of the tribe . Acceptable acting by Ronald Reagan , his role of Farrell was originally offered to Robert Mitchum, who turned it down because he didn't like the script , it was then offered to Ronald Reagan, who took it . Large support cast does well , full of known secondary actors as Gene Evans , Lance Fuller , Chubby Johnson , Anthony Caruso , Jack Elam , Morris Ankrum , many of them usual in Western . Although made in no much budget by the producer Benedict Bogeaus is a very efficient film and very entertaining . It packs a colorful cinematography print in Technicolor by John Alton who along with Nicholas Musuraca are considered to be two of the best cameraman specialized in Noir cinema . Marvelous scenario is really superb , shot on location in Glacier National Park, Montana, and Iverson Ranch , Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California . Thrilling as well as evocative musical score by Louis Forbes .

This middle budget movie was professionally directed by Allan Dwan , though has some flaws and gaps . Dwan was a good craftsman working from the silent cinema . He was Gloria Swanson's favorite director and after he began to work for Triangle in 1916 , he also won the respect of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford , who were , at that time, the most powerful couple in the film business . Dwan directed over 1400 films , including one-reels, between his arrival in the industry (circa 1909) and his final film in 1961 . Among them some good Western as ¨ Restless breed¨, ¨The rivers edge¨, ¨Cattle Queen of Montana¨ and ¨Montana Belle¨ , being ¨Silver Lode¨ is his unqualified masterpiece . ¨Cattle queen Montana¨ results to be an acceptable and passable picture . Watchable and presentable results for this classic western movie .

If you already have seen MAVERICK QUEEN, FORTY GUNS, THE FURIES, also starring Barbara Stanwyck, then this western will look familiar to you. In all those movies, she plays strong lady, leading men, and admit that's not too usual in westerns, mostly macho oriented. And the most astounding is that she never loses her feminine touch. I was also excitied by the jawdropping natural settings, on locations. The story is also very touching and director Allan Dwann, one of the most prolific ever, gives here a terrific performance in one of his latest movies. Benedict Bogeaus production, who were in charge of those latest Dwann's stuff, is also on the level; nothing to do with a Sam Katzman production's film for instance.

Barbara Stanwyck stars as hard-riding redhead who is out to reclaim land and cattle stolen from her by an unscrupulous rancher in cahoots with hostile Indians. Many of the standard western movie clichés make up the story so there isn't anything new here. Ronald Reagan appears as an undercover government agent investigating unlawful distribution of rifles to the Indians and has trouble keeping Stanwyck out of harm's way. Lance Fuller is a college-educated Indian who wants his people to walk in the ways of the white man. Anthony Caruso, who was great at portraying villains, is on target as a bad Indian who's in cahoots with Gene Evans who conspires to drive Jones off her rightful claim to the valley. The picture also has a wealth of great character actors such as Myron Healy, Jack Elam, Morris Ankrum, Chubby Johnson and Rod Redwing. The film has fine technicolor lensing and an okay music score.

Perhaps the most uncomplicated of America's classic directors, Dwan made a series of films in the fifties for producer Bogeaus that allowed him a degree of flexibility he'd been unused to since the silent days. Cattle Queen of Montana, the tale of Stanwyck's struggles to hold on to the property of her murdered father, is beautifully lit by cinematographer Alton, the great unsung Hollywood cameraman. It evokes a world of easeful innocence far removed from the cynicism and violence that was the norm in the Western of the fifties. Reagan is the mysterious gunman who comes to Stanwyck's rescue. Stanwyck, who did all her own stunts, so impressed the Blackfeet Indians hired as extras that they made her a blood sister, and gave her the Indian name of Princess Many Victories.

Phil Hardy