Broken Lance (1954)

Director:

Edward Dmytryk

Writers:

Richard Murphy (screenplay)
Philip Yordan (story)

Release Date:

25 September 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Western

Tagline:

Fury of the West's Most Lawless Feud!

Plot:

Cattle baron Matt Devereaux raids a copper smelter that is polluting his water, then divides his property among his sons...

Plot Keywords:

Father Son Relationship | Rancher | Racial Slur | Flashback | Brother Brother Relationship

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Spencer Tracy	...	Matt Devereaux
Robert Wagner	...	Joe Devereaux
Jean Peters	...	Barbara
Richard Widmark	...	Ben Devereaux
Katy Jurado	...	Señora Devereaux
Hugh O'Brian	...	Mike Devereaux
Eduard Franz	...	Two Moons
Earl Holliman	...	Denny Devereaux
E.G. Marshall	...	Horace - The Governor
Carl Benton Reid	...	Clem Lawton
Philip Ober	...	Van Cleve
Robert Burton	...	Mac Andrews

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (35 mm optical prints) | 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Germany:16 | Finland:K-16 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #16964, General Audience) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Ranch, Malibu Creek State Park - 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Had a premier at Graumans Chinese Theater in Hollywood. A huge sign was erected which extended over the forecourt proclaiming "CINEMASCOPE - TRACY-WIDMARK - BROKEN LANCE" in huge letters.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Matt is seen riding toward his sons off the side of the hill, he is sitting astride his horse, and his right hand is held up holding the reins, but when his son Ben takes him off his horse, he is already dead.

Quotes:

Mike Devereaux: He'll cool down... and when he does he'll make the deal. He's too smart not to. Ain't that right, Ben?
Ben Devereaux: I don't know. But anybody that throws $10,000 in a spittoon makes me nervous.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Memories of 'Giant' (1998) (V)

No Lances Broken Here ***1/2

Spencer Tracy shines in this tale of a cattle baron and his sons.

Starting with nothing, and becoming wealthy, Tracy's wife dies and he remarries an Indian woman, well played by Katie Jurado in an Oscar nominated performance as best supporting actress. She is devoted to her husband. Count the number of times she says my husband in this film. At times, it became somewhat annoying, added to the fact that she had a lisp. Therefore, it became "my huthband." Surprised, the directors didn't point this out unless they thought she could get away with it due to her accent.

Anyway, 2 of the sons are well played by Richard Widmark and Robert Wagner. Widmark is insanely jealous of Joe (Wagner.) He claims how hard he worked, and that Joe, Tracy's son by Jurado, had little to do because by the time he came, they were wealthy.

Financial difficulties lead to a court trial and jailing of Joe who takes the entire rap. A fatal heart attack soon befalls Tracy, who loved Joe deeply, and could not see him taking the blame for all.

Years pass and Joe is released from prison. Widmark, despising him out of jealousy, plans to kill him but is instead killed himself by another Indian.

A better than average western showing complicated and conflicted family values.