The Guns of Fort Petticoat
| The Guns of Fort Petticoat | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster |
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| Directed by | George Marshall |
| Produced by | Harry Joe Brown Audie Murphy |
| Written by | Walter Doniger C. William Harrison (short story) |
| Starring | Audie Murphy Kathryn Grant Hope Emerson |
| Music by | Mischa Bakaleinikoff |
| Cinematography | Ray Rennahan |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | April 1957 |
| Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Guns of Fort Petticoat is a 1957 Technicolor Western produced by Harry Joe Brown and Audie Murphy for Columbia Pictures. It was based on the 1955 short story "Petticoat Brigade" by Chester William Harrison (1913-1994)[1] that he expanded into a novelization for the film's release. It was directed by George Marshall and filmed at the Iverson Movie Ranch and at Old Tucson. The working title of the film was Petticoat Brigade; screenwriter and television director Walter Doniger was originally set to have directed the film.[2] The fictional story tells the tale of an Army deserter training a disparate group of women to be Indian Fighters climaxing in a Battle of the Alamo type action.
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[edit] Plot
In 1864 during the American Civil War, Texan Lt. Frank Hewitt is serving with the U.S. Cavalry in a Regular Army Regiment under Colonel John Chivington. On patrol, Hewitt meets a group of Indians who are unarmed and returning to the Sand Creek reservation they were not supposed to leave. When briefing Col. Chivington, the Colonel orders the Sand Creek Massacre to punish the Indians.
Hewitt not only disagrees with the punishment of the Indians, but fears they will use the attack as an excuse to unite and spread terror throughout the Southwest, including his own native Texas which has been emptied of the majority of its menfolk who are fighting for the Confederacy. Colonel Chivington sees Indian attacks on Texas as a bonus to create havoc in the Confederacy. Violently objecting, Hewitt is placed under arrest and confined to quarters.
Hewitt deserts to warn the Texans. Upon arrival in his home in Texas, he is hated and ignored by his former neighbours who despise him for serving with the Union. No one believes him until he brings the dead body of a woman murdered by Comanches who have joined the uprising. Hewitt gathers the population which consist of women and children and one male opportunist, Kettle. Hewitt trains the women in marksmanship, unarmed combat and tactics and organises the armed women as a military platoon in the safety of an abandoned mission. Kettle urges the women to ride away but Hewitt stops the plan by driving off all their horses except his own, to be used for scouting.
After being beaten up by Hewitt, Kettle escapes on Hewitt's mount. He is captured by a trio of bandits. One threatens to kill him if he has no money, and another threatens to kill him if he has money but lied that he didn't. Kettle appeals to the bandits' greed by telling them about the mission defended by women, and concocts a false story that they are holding a large amount of gold. The third bandit kills Kettle.
Driven off by Hewitt's "Petticoat Brigade", the bandits are captured by Comanches. The bandits tell the Comanche leader about the women and the mythical gold. The Comanches then launch an attack on the fortified mission.
[edit] Cast
- Audie Murphy ... Lt. Frank Hewitt
- Kathryn Grant ... Anne Martin
- Hope Emerson ... Hannah Lacey
- Jeff Donnell ... Mary Wheller
- Jeanette Nolan ... Cora Melavan
- Sean McClory ... Emmett Kettle
- Ernestine Wade ... Hetty
- Peggy Maley ... Lucy Conover
- Isobel Elsom ... Mrs. Charlotte Ogden
- Patricia Tiernan ... Stella Leatham
- Kim Charney ... Bax Leatham
- Ray Teal ... Salt Pork
- Nestor Paiva ... Tortilla
- James Griffith ... Kipper
- John Dierkes ... Storekeeper
- Ainslie Pryor ... Colonel Chivington
