''Freckles'' is a 1960 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by

Andrew V. McLaglen Andrew Victor McLaglen (July 28, 1920 – August 30, 2014) was a British-born American film and television director, known for Westerns and adventure films, often starring John Wayne or James Stewart. According to one obituary "His career ...

. It stars Martin West and

Carol Christensen Carol Christensen (September 14, 1937 – June 4, 2005) was an American actress and former model. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she appeared in several films and television shows between 1960 and 1963. Early years Christensen attended Southfield ...

. It was filmed in CinemaScope and

DeLuxe Color DeLuxe Color or Deluxe color or Color by DeLuxe is Deluxe Laboratories brand of color process for motion pictures. DeLuxe Color is Eastmancolor-based, with certain adaptations for improved compositing for printing (similar to Technicolor's "sel ...

, and is the fourth of five adaptations of

Gene Stratton-Porter Gene Stratton-Porter (August 17, 1863 – December 6, 1924), born Geneva Grace Stratton, was an American author, nature photographer, and naturalist from Wabash County, Indiana. In 1917 Stratton-Porter urged legislative support for the conservat ...

's 1904 novel of the same name.

Plot

Disabled by a missing hand since childhood, Freckles ( Martin West) works for timber baron John McLean (

Roy Barcroft Roy Barcroft (born Howard Harold Ravenscroft; September 7, 1902 – November 28, 1969) was an American character actor famous for playing villains in B-Westerns and other genres. From 1937 to 1957, he appeared in more than 300 films for Re ...

). He rounds up a gang of lumber thieves headed by Duncan ( Jack Lambert). John's foreman, Duncan, gives Freckles a tour and points out the troubles they have been facing due to a gang of timber thieves, led by Jack Barbeau. Freckles begs to be a guard that requires him to be alone in a small, isolated cabin. John eventually agrees, and Freckles is quick to start patrolling a large area of land on horseback with a rifle in hand. One day, Freckles meets a naturalist, Alice Cooper, who is photographing birds. Alice asks Freckles to watch her niece, Chris, who lives nearby. Meanwhile, Chris has fallen and hurt herself. A fisherman, who ends up being Barbeau, helps her. Freckles arrives and tells Barbeau he is on private property and must leave. Later in the day, Wessner, one of John's men who is actually secretly working for Barbeau, tries to bribe Freckles while in his cabin. Freckles refuses and a fistfight breaks out, which Freckles wins. John sees this confrontation, and is pleased with how Freckles acted and assures him that he will always have a job. A few days later, Chris and Freckles spend more time getting to know one another. While on the job, Freckles is approached by Barbeau, who tells him that his family was in the woods long before John, and they only cut what they need. He tells Freckles that he is working for the wrong side. When Freckles tells Duncan about this encounter, Duncan tells him not to listen to Barbeau's story. The next day, Freckles learns from Alice that Chris's parents are sending her to college. Freckles stops by Chris's house and meets her father. At this point, Freckles and Chris are in love, and Freckles is worried that college will change her. They fight, and Freckles leaves. He returns to the Limberlost, where Barbeau and his men are cutting down trees. Freckles gathers MacLean and his crew to confront the lumber thieves, but they are too late. Freckles blames himself for both the theft and the thieves' escape. This story of love, competition, and rivalry ends with the death of Barbeau, guilt, and the union of Freckles and Chris.

Cast

* Martin West as Freckles *

as Chris Cooper * Jack Lambert as Duncan * Steve Peck as Jack Barbeau *

as John McLean *

Lorna Thayer Lorna Thayer (born Lorna Patricia Casey; August 16, 1919 – June 4, 2005) was an American character actress. Biography Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Thayer was the daughter of silent screen actress Louise Gibney. She appeared often in theatre ...

as Alice Cooper *

Ken Curtis Ken Curtis (born Curtis Wain Gates; July 2, 1916 – April 28, 1991) was an American singer and actor best known for his role as Festus Haggen on the CBS western television series ''Gunsmoke''. Although he appeared on ''Gunsmoke'' earl ...

as Wessner *

John Eldredge John Eldredge (born June 6, 1960 in Los Angeles) is an American author, counselor, and lecturer on Christianity. He is known for his best-selling book '' Wild at Heart''. Life and work Eldregde received his undergraduate degree in theater from ...

as Mr. Cooper

Production

The film was made by Robert L. Lippert's Associated Producers Inc. It was filmed on location in

San Bernardino National Forest The San Bernardino National Forest is a United States National Forest in Southern California encompassing of which are federal. The forest is made up of two main divisions, the eastern portion of the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernard ...

References

External links

* * * * {{Gene Stratton-Porter 1960 films Films directed by Andrew McLaglen 1960s English-language films Films based on American novels American Western (genre) films 1960 Western (genre) films 20th Century Fox films Films based on works by Gene Stratton-Porter Films set in forests Films about lumberjacks Remakes of American films 1960s American films

Plot

Cast

Production

See also

References

External links