''Texas Lady'' is a 1955 color 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

Tim Whelan Tim Whelan (November 2, 1893 – August 12, 1957) was an American film director, writer, producer and actor best remembered for his writing credits on ''Harold Lloyd'' and ''Harry Langdon'' comedies, and his directing of mostly British films (e.g ...

in his final film before his death in 1957, and distributed by

RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orphe ...

. It stars

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert ( ; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictures ...

Barry Sullivan Barry Sullivan may refer to: *Barry Sullivan (American actor) (1912–1994), US film and Broadway actor *Barry Sullivan (stage actor) (1821–1891), Irish born stage actor active in Britain and Australia *Barry Sullivan (lawyer), Chicago lawyer and ...

and Ray Collins. The film tells the story of a female publisher who encounters injustice and violence in a Texas town.

Plot

On a riverboat, in 1885, gambler Chris Mooney loses heavily to Prudence Webb, then borrows a further $30,000 which he also loses to her. He offers her a partnership but Prudence declines, informing him that her father embezzled funds to gamble with Chris, then committed suicide after he lost. Prudence has therefore avenged her father's loss and has the money to pay back her late father's employer. She rides to Fort Ralston in Texas to claim her inheritance, the Clarion newspaper, which her dad won in a card game. Stringer Winfield, the postal carrier, warns her that town founder Micah Ralston and ranch partner Sturdy own practically everything and everybody. Clay Ballard, the editor of the Clarion, tries to get Prudence's ownership overturned, but drunken lawyer Cass Gower sobers up and wins her case, even though Judge Herzog is in Ralston's pocket. A hired gun, Jess Foley, acting as a "deputy," kills Gantz, a rival rancher. Foley then makes a play for Prudence, asking her to dance and to teach him to read. Prudence initially thinks he is lying about being illiterate but on finding this is true attends the evening dance at the Fandango. However, she resists his advances. Chris shows up. Foley objects to his romantic interest in Prudence, and warns Chris to beware of Foley's jealousy and gun. Chris manages to hold off Foley, who also has Gantz's widow after him. The crooked sheriff, Herndon (on orders from Ralston) gives Prudence 24-hour's notice within which to repay $6,000 due in back taxes from the newspaper, or forfeit her property. Prudence concedes defeat and intends to ride out of town with Chris, who gambled unsuccessfully and failed to raise the money. Chris sits on a chair outside the Clarion office and waits for Foley. As Foley draws his gun, Chris (still seated) shoots him in the hand. Chris is put in jail but the judge is persuaded to grant ''

habeas corpus ''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, t ...

'' and he is released. Meanwhile an old lady enters the sheriff's office and shoots Foley dead in vengeance for his killing of her son. The sherrif nails a notice of sale on the newspaper office. Her new friends in the town collect the $6,000 on her behalf, and order the arrest of the sheriff. They have an election for new city officials, electing Chris as the new mayor, Cass as the new judge and saloon owner Moore as the new sheriff. Ralston objects to the election results and uses his controlling power of the surrounding land to create a blockade. Ralston's men encircle the town and start shooting, with most of the defenders being older men. Stringer rides for the Texas Rangers, Cass having been killed. After reasoning with Ralston he gives in and returns the $6000 falsely claimed as tax. Law and order arrives in town.

Cast

as Prudence Webb *

as Chris Mooney * Ray Collins as Mica Ralston (rancher) * James Bell as Cass Gower *

Horace McMahon Horace McMahon (May 17, 1906 – August 17, 1971) was an American actor. He was one of Hollywood's favorite heavies. McMahon began his acting career on Broadway, then appeared in many films and television series. In 1962, he received a P ...

as Stringer Winfield *

Gregory Walcott Gregory Walcott (born Bernard Wasdon Mattox, January 13, 1928 – March 20, 2015) was an American television and film actor. Although he had roles in many Hollywood films and television series, he is perhaps best known for having appeared in th ...

as Deputy Jess Foley *

John Litel John Beach Litel (December 30, 1892 – February 3, 1972) was an American film and television actor. Early life Litel was born in Albany, Wisconsin. During World War I, he enlisted in the French Army and was twice decorated for bravery. Ba ...

as Meade Moore (wigwam owner) *

Douglas Fowley Douglas Fowley (born Daniel Vincent Fowley, May 30, 1911 – May 21, 1998) was an American movie and television actor in more than 240 films and dozens of television programs, He is probably best remembered for his role as the frustrated m ...

as Clay Ballard (Clarion owner) *

Don Haggerty Don Haggerty (July 3, 1914 – August 19, 1988) was an American actor of film and television. Early life and education Before he began appearing in films in 1947, Haggerty was a Brown University athlete and served in the United States Army f ...

as Sheriff Herndon *

Walter Sande Walter Sande (July 9, 1906 – November 22, 1971) was an American character actor, known for numerous supporting film and television roles. Films Born in Denver, Colorado, he was one of those stern, heavyset character actors in Hollywood no p ...

as Whit Sturdy (rancher) * Alexander Campbell as Judge E. Ness Herzog *

Florenz Ames Florenz may refer to: * Florenz Regalado (born 1928), Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines * Florenz Ziegfeld (1867–1932), American Broadway impresario * Karl-Heinz Florenz (born 1947), German Member of the European Parlia ...

as Wilson (general store owner) *

Kathleen Mulqueen Kathleen may refer to: People * Kathleen (given name) * Kathleen (singer), Canadian pop singer Places * Kathleen, Alberta, Canada * Kathleen, Georgia, United States * Kathleen, Florida, United States * Kathleen High School (Lakeland, Flor ...

as Nancy (Nanny) Winfield * Robert Lynn as Reverend Callender * Paul Wexler as hotel clerk (uncredited)

References

External links

* * * {{Tim Whelan 1955 films 1955 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Films about journalists Films directed by Tim Whelan Films set in Texas Films scored by Paul Sawtell 1950s English-language films 1950s American films