Colt .45 (1950)

Director:

Edwin L. Marin

Writer:

Thomas W. Blackburn (writer)

Release Date:

27 May 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Sheriff | Horse | Number In Title

Cast

Randolph Scott	...	Steve Farrell
Ruth Roman	...	Beth Donovan
Zachary Scott	...	Jason Brett
Lloyd Bridges	...	Paul Donovan
Alan Hale	...	Sheriff Harris
Ian MacDonald	...	Miller
Chief Thundercloud	...	Walking Bear
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carl Andre	...	Indian (uncredited)
Stanley Andrews	...	Sheriff (uncredited)
Monte Blue	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Richard Brehm	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Bob Burrows	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Roydon Clark	...	Indian (uncredited)
Forrest R. Colee	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Tex Cooper	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Ben Corbett	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Walter Coy	...	Carl (uncredited)
Luther Crockett	...	Judge Tucker (as Lute Crockett) (uncredited)
Charles Evans	...	Redrock sheriff (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Warren Fiske	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Dick Hudkins	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Clyde Hudkins Jr.	...	Indian (uncredited)
Leroy Johnson	...	Indian (uncredited)
Robert Karnes	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Nolan Leary	...	Townsman / Witness Who's Shot (uncredited)
Leo J. McMahon	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Art Miles	...	Bystander #1 (uncredited)
Kansas Moehring	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Posseman (uncredited)
Zon Murray	...	Bogus Indian Henchman (uncredited)
Aurora Navarro	...	Squaw (uncredited)
Howard Negley	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Paul Newlan	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Artie Ortego	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Barry Regan	...	Bystander (uncredited)
Buddy Roosevelt	...	Guard (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock	...	Townsman (uncredited)
William Steele	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Mary Stuart	...	(uncredited)
Chief Tahachee	...	Indian (uncredited)
Hal Taliaferro	...	Stagecoach Guard (uncredited)
Jack Watt	...	Posseman (uncredited)

Directed by
Edwin L. Marin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Thomas W. Blackburn		writer (as Thomas Blackburn)

Produced by
Saul Elkins	....	producer

Original Music by
William Lava

Cinematography by
Wilfred M. Cline

Film Editing by
Frank Magee

Art Direction by
Douglas Bacon

Set Decoration by
William Wallace

Makeup Department
Bud Bashaw Jr.	....	makeup artist (as Bud Bashaw)
Jeanette Marvin	....	hair stylist
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Oren Haglund	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Dolph Thomas	....	sound (as Adolph Thomas)

Special Effects by
Harry Barndollar	....	special effects

Stunts
Carl Andre	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Burrows	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
Warren Fiske	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Hudkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Clyde Hudkins Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Leroy Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Leo J. McMahon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Calvin Spencer	....	stunt double: Lloyd Bridges (uncredited)
Terry Wilson	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Harris	....	grip (as Chuck Harris)
George Gordon Nogle	....	camera operator (as George Nogle)
Ralph Owen	....	gaffer
Fred Morgan	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Maxwell	....	orchestrator
William Lava	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Jean Baker	....	script supervisor
Mitchell Kovaleski	....	technicolor color consultant

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• Comet Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Thundercloud (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Set in 1851, features a .45 caliber Colt revolver. Colt's first .45 caliber weapon was the Single-Action Army revolver, first made in 1871.

Quotes:

Prologue: A gun, like any other source of power, is a force for either good or evil, being neither in itself, but dependent upon those who possess it.

Movie Connections:

Followed by "Colt .45" (1957)

Better than a Sharps

Colt 45 is certainly a lite western for RS but nevertheless is worth a shot. What I found most interesting are how many familiar actors from later big movies make their lesser screen appearances here. Ruth Roman is the only female in the picture and has everybody's attention. She even manages to throw some dirt at and a knockout of RS. Probably the only time this has happened to Scott on screen. She is a few years ahead of Far Country with Jimmy Stewart. Walter Coy, Aaron Edwards in The Searchers, has an uncredited role here that you'd have to Search for. Lloyd Bridges predates his paranoid role in High Noon with a complete weasel of a character here. The catch of the day is Ian McDonald playing Miller here, a member of Zachary Scott's gang; later as Frank Miller in High Noon.

As for the flick, Scott looks clean shaven even after forty days of soft time in jail. Brother Zachary looks like a very light weight Clark Gable. The sexual symbolism is a little too obvious here but for young kids it was all surely missed. Just relieved that RS is clearly interested in Roman with Ruth more than his colts. This is one western where the Indians (unnnamed tribe) are the good guys. It's not The Tall T or Commanche Station but if you are a fan of RS, and I certainly am, you can't miss with a Colt 45.