This is quite a good Western with no Star Names – it was on one of the Film Channels a week or two ago in England. I had never seen it before and was quite intrigued with the Colour – which was Cinecolor and although it is not seen as being that good, I thought it was excellent and really fitted such a Western Film as this.
The main Character is Larsen – a young man who has to turn to crime, almost forced to do so because of his mother’s outlaw reputation. (The real-life Belle Starr )- she also had a daughter, Pearl, believed to have been fathered by outlaw Cole Younger–see BELLE STARR’S DAUGHTER, 1947) Larsen is recruited by underhanded sheriff Healey to help in a robbery. Larsen goes along with the plan because he wants to find out who set him up the year before.
During the robbery, the sheriff’s men turn on him and try to capture him but Larsen guns them down and hides the bounty, hoping to find out the real mind behind the plan. He gets his man, but his reputation as an outlaw gets Larsen in the end too.
A rather sad and un satisfactory ending – I am someone who always likes a happy ending in films – and in life too !!
I really love these Colour shots direct from the film – almost a faded sepia tint – but very effective I thought.
Above: Dona Drake.
Dona Drake : A few snippets of information –
| She was born Eunice Westmoreland in Miami, Florida, one of five children of Joseph Andrew Westmoreland of Arkansas and his wife, Novella Smith of Alabama. Her parents are of African American descent. Studio publicity will later claim she was born in Mexico City in 1920. |
| When she left school she started working in one of her family’s restaurants |
| and changed her name to Una Villon |
| When she was cast in Aloma of the South Seas, Paramount changed her name to Dona Drake |
| She also performed in nightclub acts between film assignments |
| She appeared on the cover of Yank, The Army Weekly |
| While filming Hot Rhythm, her friend, actress Joan Blondell, introduces her to young designer William Travilla |
| She married Travilla and concentrated on married life for two years |
| Her daughter, Nia Novella, was born in Los Angeles |
Sadly Dona Drake died of pneumonia and respiratory failure in Los Angeles, California on June 20, 1989, at the age of 74. She was cremated and her ashes scattered at sea
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