''Stronghold'' is a 1951 American-Mexican Western historical film directed by Steve Sekely and starring Veronica Lake, Zachary Scott and

Arturo de Córdova Arturo García Rodríguez (8 May 1908 – 3 November 1973), known professionally as Arturo de Córdova, was a Mexican actor who appeared in over a hundred films. Biography Career Arturo García Rodríguez was born in Mérida, Yucatán on 8 May 1 ...

. A separate Spanish version ''Red Fury'' was also made. The cost of both films was $519,000.

Plot

In 1865, Señora Stevens and her American daughter Maria leave the US to return to Stevens' homeland of Mexico along with their servant Caesar. Both Maria's father and brother were killed in the US Civil War (the father fighting for the South, the brother for the North), and they hope to live peacefully under Emperor Maximilian. Maria, her mother and Cesar are kidnapped by the bandit Ignacio López as soon as they land. Señora Stevens fakes a collapse, which allows Caesar to attack Lopez and the women to escape. They arrive at an estate belonging to Don Pedro Álvarez, the son of an old friend of Senora Stevens. Nacho arrives with Caesar and it is revealed that Alvarez is an ally of Benito Juárez who is leading the fight against Maximilian. Pedro sends Señora Stevens to

Taxco Taxco de Alarcón (; usually referred to as simply Taxco) is a small city and administrative center of Taxco de Alarcón Municipality located in the Mexican state of Guerrero. Taxco is located in the north-central part of the state, from the cit ...

but keeps Maria hostage until he receives a load of silver he can trade for supplies. Eventually the silver arrives along with Maria's maid Lupe who gives her a note from Don Navarro asking her to bring Pedro with her when she is released. Pedro agrees to go with her to Taxco. On the way he shows Maria some of the suffering caused under Maximilian and she becomes more sympathetic to his plight. Navarro's men attack Pedro but are ambushed by Pedro's troops and Pedro escapes. In Taxco, Navarro invites Maria to a ball. On the way Pedro abducts Maria briefly, but Navarro recaptures her. Maria meets Maximilian and Carlotta and asks them to help the poor. Lupe tells Maria that her mother has died. The empress secretly instructs her guards to send men to Taxco to hang Pedro, so that Maria will marry Navarro and Navarro will get the Stevens' money. Pedro is arrested at Senora Stevens' funeral. He manages to escape but Navarro orders the cavern blown up trying to catch them. This threatens the lives of numerous mine workers. Pedro is about to be hanged when peasants show up to rescue him. The revolution against Maximilian begins.

Cast

* Veronica Lake as Mary Stevens * Zachary Scott as Don Miguel Navarro *

Rita Macedo Rita Macedo (April 21, 1925 – December 5, 1993) was a Mexican actress and dressmaker. She was nominated for an Ariel Award for her 1956 performance in "Ensayo de un crimen" and in 1991 for a TVyNovelas Prize for "Alcanzar una estrella". She wo ...

as Beatriz Vega *

as Don Pedro Alvarez * Alfonso Bedoya as Ignacio "Nacho" López *

Yadira Jiménez Yadira is a given name. Notable people with the given name include: * Yadira Bendaña (born 1968), Honduran journalist and politician *Yadira Caraveo Yadira D. Caraveo (born December 23, 1980) is an American politician and pediatrician serving ...

as Lupe * Fanny Schiller as Señora Stevens * Gilberto González as José Vega *

Carlos Múzquiz Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsewher ...

as Diego Sánchez * Frederick A. Mack as Caesar * Roc Galván as Gustavo Rojo * Gustavo Rojo *

Iren Agay Iren may refer to: Given name *Irén Ágay (1913–1950), Hungarian actress *Irén Daruházi-Karcsics (1927-2011), Hungarian retired gymnast *Iren Marik (1905-1986), Hungarian-born classical pianist *Irén Pavlics (born 1934), Hungarian Slovene ...

as Empress Carlotta *

Felipe De Alba Felipe de Alba (April 29, 1924 – November 15, 2005) was a Mexican attorney and character actor from the 1940s and 1950s. He appeared in films such as ''Robinson Crusoe'' (1954, directed by Luis Buñuel) and ''Real Women Have Curves'' (2002). D ...

as Emperor Maximilian

Production

The film was Zachary Scott's first after he finished his contract with Warner Bros. It was financed by Filmadora Studios, a Mexican company. Filming started in April 1950 at

Churubusco Studios Estudios Churubusco is one of the oldest and largest movie studios in Mexico. It is located in the Churubusco neighborhood of Mexico City. History It was inaugurated in 1945 after a 1943 agreement between RKO and Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta (of ...

in Mexico City. Filming was complete by June. In the Spanish version titled Red Fury,

Sarita Montiel María Antonia Abad Fernández MML (10 March 1928 – 8 April 2013), known professionally as Sara Montiel, also Sarita Montiel, was a Spanish actress and singer. She began her career in the 1940s and became the most internationally popular and ...

played María,

Emilia Guiú Emilia Guiú Estivella (March 21, 1922 – February 7, 2004) was a Spanish-Mexican actress who appeared mainly in Mexican films, particularly in the 1940s and 1950s in the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. She made over 60 film appearances between ...

played Beatriz Vega,

Carlos López Moctezuma Carlos López Moctezuma Pineda (19 November 1909 – 14 July 1980) was a Mexican film actor. He appeared in more than 210 films between 1938 and 1980. He starred in the film ''Happiness'', which was entered into the 7th Berlin Internationa ...

played Don Miguel Navarro and Juan José Laboriel played Caesar. Many of the supporting actors appeared in both versions. Gustavo Rojo is billed in the English version but did not appear as his character was eliminated.

Reception

The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' called it "shoddy" with "none of the qualities one expects of Mexican productions. Little use is made of the natural beauties or the local inhabitants... Hard to follow and unconvincing". ''Diabolique'' called it "a film that has a good story buried underneath confused execution. Lake is wooden but at least looks fine. That was her last Hollywood-ish movie."

Lawsuit

Rights to the film transferred to Nacional Financiera SA, a Mexican government-controlled corporation. In 1962 a lawsuit was filed against that company claiming unpaid salaries of $142,375 plus interest; the claimants included Veronica Lake, Zachary Scott, Stanley Cortez, Steve Sekeley, and Wells Root. $13,628 had been paid to the claimants in 1956 and 1958; the defendant said this amount represented payment in full. Lake's original claim was for $47,500.

References

Bibliography

* Ronald L. Davis. ''Zachary Scott: Hollywood's Sophisticated Cad''. Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2009.

External links

* * * {{BFI, 4ce2b6b6da615, Stronghold
Review of film
at ''Variety'' 1951 films 1951 Western (genre) films 1950s historical films 1950s multilingual films American Western (genre) films American black-and-white films American historical films American multilingual films 1950s English-language films English-language Mexican films Films directed by Steve Sekely Lippert Pictures films Mexican Western (genre) films Mexican black-and-white films Mexican historical films Mexican multilingual films Second French intervention in Mexico films 1950s American films 1950s Mexican films