''Rose of Cimarron'' is a 1952 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 produced by Edward L. Alperson for

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

. Despite the title, it has nothing to do with

Rose Dunn Rose Elizabeth Dunn (September 5, 1878 – June 11, 1955) also known as Rose of Cimarron and later Rose of the Cimarron, was best known for her good looks and for her romantic involvement with outlaw George "Bittercreek" Newcomb when she was a ...

the actual "Rose of Cimarron". The film is a revenge Western with a twist: the protagonist is a woman raised by the

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

avenging her parents who were murdered by whites.

Plot

When a

covered wagon The covered wagon or prairie wagon, historically also referred to as an ambulance or prairie schooner, was a vehicle usually made out of wood and canvas that was used for transportation, prominently in 19th-century America. With roots in the he ...

heading for California is attacked by

Comanche The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...

, the only survivor is a baby girl. A young Cherokee brave finds her and brings her to his parents where she is raised as a Cherokee but with intimate knowledge of the language and customs of white Americans. She is named Rose of Cimarron after a mountain lion. Rose's pleasant life ends when a

sheriff's posse The ''posse comitatus'' (from the Latin for "power of the county/community/guard"), frequently shortened to posse, is in common law a group of people mobilized by the conservator of peace – typically a reeve, sheriff, chief, or another spec ...

arrives at her adopted parents' ranch. They are searching for three bank robbers and ask Lone Eagle's advice of which route would take the bank robbers out of the

badlands Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, m ...

. Rose and her brother Willie know the area due to their trapping and guide the sheriff and his men there. As soon as they leave the three bank robbers come out of hiding and demand Lone Eagle and his wife sell or trade fresh horses to them. When they refuse they murder the both of them. Rose straps on a pair of six guns and a knife to avenge her parents. Though she has not witnessed the murders she can identify the horses the killers have stolen, a

skewbald Skewbald is a colour pattern of horses. A skewbald horse has a coat made up of white patches on a non-black base coat, such as chestnut, bay, or any colour besides black coat. Skewbald horses which are bay and white (bay is a reddish-brown colo ...

, a

palomino Palomino is a genetic color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white mane and tail; the degree of whiteness can vary from bright white to yellow. Genetically, the palomino color is created by a single allele of a dilution gene called t ...

and a

sorrel Sorrel (''Rumex acetosa''), also called common sorrel or garden sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ('dock' being a common name for the genus '' ...

. Arriving in town Rose demands the

town marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...

apprehend and hang the murderers. The marshal offers to perform his duty within the law but advises Rose that sometimes even the law can fail. Rose promises that if the law fails, she won't. Rose acquires a room in a boarding house without realising the man who offers it to her, George Newcombe, is one of the murderers. With the law taking its time Rose identifies two of the murderers by their mounts. When she questions them the two move away but she draws her six-guns and shoots them dead. Despite the plea of self-defence, Rose is locked up where she meets Deacon, an elderly criminal with a plan for a bullion robbery. George and his new accomplices free Deacon and Rose from jail. On the trail escaping from the law, Rose and George gradually discover each is out to kill the other.

Cast

Mala Powers Mary Ellen "Mala" Powers (December 20, 1931 – June 11, 2007) was an American actress. Early life Powers was born in San Francisco, California, and raised in Los Angeles. Her father was a United Press International, United Press executive, whil ...

as Rose of Cimarron *

Jack Buetel Jack Buetel (September 5, 1915 – June 27, 1989) was an American film and television actor. Life Born John Alexander Beutel in Dallas, Texas, he moved to Los Angeles, California in the late 1930s with the intention of establishing a film caree ...

as Marshal Hollister * Bill Williams as George Newcomb * Jim Davis as Willie Whitewater *

Dick Curtis Richard Dye (May 11, 1902January 3, 1952), known professionally as Dick Curtis, was an American actor who made over 230 film and television appearances during his career. Early years Curtis was born in Newport, Kentucky, the son of Frank Dye ...

as Clem Dawley *

Lane Bradford Lane Bradford (born John Myrtland Le Varre, Jr., August 29, 1922 – June 6, 1973) was an American actor, who appeared in more than 250 films and television series between 1940 and 1973, specializing in supporting "tough-guy" roles predomin ...

as Mike Finch * William Phipps as Jeb Dawley * Bob Steele as Rio *

Alex Gerry Alex is a given name. It can refer to a shortened version of Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis. People Multiple *Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people *Alex Gordon (disambiguation), multiple people *Alex Harris (disambiguation), multiple peo ...

as Judge Kirby *

Lillian Bronson Lillian Rumsey Bronson (October 21, 1902 - August 2, 1995) was an American character actress. She performed in more than 80 films and 100 television productions. Biography Bronson was born in Lockport, New York, the daughter of a carriage build ...

as Emmy Anders * Art Smith as Deacon *

Monte Blue Gerard Montgomery Blue (January 11, 1887 – February 18, 1963) was an American film actor who began his career as a romantic lead in the silent era; and for decades after the advent of sound, he continued to perform as a supporting player ...

as Lone Eagle *

Argentina Brunetti Argentina Brunetti (born Argentina Ferraù; August 31, 1907 – December 20, 2005) was an Argentinian stage and film actress and writer. Biography Brunetti was born Argentina Ferraù in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Italian parents; her moth ...

as Red Fawn *

Irving Bacon Irving Bacon (born Irving Von Peters; September 6, 1893 – February 5, 1965) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 500 films. Early years Bacon was the son of entertainers Millar Bacon and Myrtle Vane. He was born in St. Jose ...

as Sheriff * Tom Monroe as Townsman *

George Chandler George Chandler (June 30, 1898 – June 10, 1985) was an American actor who starred in over 140 feature films, usually in smaller supporting roles, and he is perhaps best known for playing the character of Uncle Petrie Martin on the televi ...

as Deputy Sheriff *

John Doucette John Arthur Doucette (January 21, 1921 – August 16, 1994) was an American character actor who performed in more than 280 film and television productions between 1941 and 1987. A man of stocky build who possessed a deep, rich voice, he ...

as Henchman * Tommy Cook as Willie, as a Boy *

William Schallert William Joseph Schallert (July 6, 1922 – May 8, 2016) was an American character actor who appeared in dozens of television shows and films over a career spanning more than 60 years. He is known for his roles on ''Richard Diamond, Private ...

as Gold Bullion Guard * Wade Crosby as Henchman * Kenneth MacDonald as Posse Sheriff *

Byron Foulger Byron Kay Foulger (August 27, 1898 – April 4, 1970) was an American character actor who over a 50-year career performed in hundreds of stage, film, and television productions. Early years Born in Ogden, Utah, Byron was the second of four ...

as Townsman

Production

Both Mala Powers and Jack Buetel were borrowed from

Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in th ...

who had both under a personal contract. Outdoor scenes were filmed in

Topanga Canyon Topanga () (Tongva: ''Topaa'nga'') is a census-designated place (CDP) in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains, the community exists in Topanga Canyon and the surrounding hills. The narrow s ...

. Though she had only ever ridden

ponies A pony is a type of small horse ('' Equus ferus caballus''). Depending on the context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. Compared ...

and fired cap pistols, Powers was convincingly trained for several weeks in riding at the Ace Hudkins stables and in fast draws and weapons use by ace stuntmen Tom Steele and David Sharpe. The only scene she was doubled in was when stuntwoman Polly Burson climbed from a galloping horse onto a moving train.Fitzgerald, Mike ''Mala Powers Interview'' in ''Ladies of the Western: Interviews With 25 Actresses from the Silent Era to the Television Westerns of the 1950s and 1960s'' McFarland, 30/10/2009

Quotes

''All they have for us is a quick trial, a brief verdict and a short rope'' - Deacon

References

External links

* * * * {{Harry Keller 1952 films 20th Century Fox films 1952 Western (genre) films Cinecolor films Films directed by Harry Keller Films adapted into comics Films scored by Raoul Kraushaar American Western (genre) films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films