Here we have ‘The Las Vegas Story’ with Jane Russell, Victor Mature and Vincent Price pitched alongside ‘Rancho Notorious’ with Marlene Dietrich and Arthur Kennedy – both of these films coming to us from RKO Radio – at that time under the ownership and influence of Howard Hughes

Victor Mature was in action again – he was good as always

On February 12, 1952, the premier of The Las Vegas Story opened at the Huntridge and Fremont Film Theatres is Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Story is a 1952 suspense film  starring Jane Russell and Victor Mature, it was produced by Robert Sparks and Howard Hughes. The film was the first full length feature to be shot on location in Las Vegas.

The plot: On a visit to Las Vegas, the wealthy Lloyd Rollins (Vincent Price) goes on a gambling streak, much to the dismay of his beautiful wife, Linda (Jane Russell). While in town, Linda decides to revisit her former work place – a casino, where she runs into Lt. Dave Andrews (Victor Mature). Though Andrews hopes to rekindle his romance with Linda, missing jewellery, murder and kidnapping hinder those plans, and he must get to the bottom of the crimes.

‘Rancho Notorious’ is not a film I particularly like and I think that is because I am not too keen on any of the three leading stars – Marlene Dietrich, Mel Ferrer and Arthur Kennedy – Well two of them anyway – because Arthur Kennedy was ok and did appear in some good roles in some good films and was a competent actor

Also the film was not your normal Western – in some ways it was played for comedy but along with that was plenty of action. It was filmed in Technicolor.

This was a film shown on British Television in the late Fifties – of course that would be in Black and White – as it was part of a bundle of films sold to Television by RKO in 1955 for a reported 15 million US dollars

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ had been one of those 740 RKO Films sold to TV – – not deemed to be a classic in those days