Southwest Passage

Southwest Passage
Directed by	Ray Nazarro
Written by	Harry Essex
Produced by	Edward Small
Starring	Rod Cameron Joanne Dru John Ireland
Cinematography	Sam Leavitt
Edited by	Grant Whytock
Music by	Arthur Lange Emil Newman
Production company	Edward Small Productions
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	April 1, 1954 (1954-04-01)
Running time	75 min.
Country	United States
Language	English

Southwest Passage is a 1954 American Pathécolor western film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring Joanne Dru, Rod Cameron and John Ireland, who are determined to make a unique trek across the west, using camels as his beasts of burden. The picture was originally released in 3-D.

Plot summary

With $20,000 in stolen gold, Clint McDonald, his girl Lilly and wounded brother Jeb head for the hills, just ahead of a posse. Lilly goes to town to find a doctor for Jeb, then returns with the best she can find, Dr. Stanton, a drunken veterinarian.

Clint becomes aware of a camel-led caravan being led by Edward Fitzpatrick Beale and decides to join it, taking Dr. Stanton's medical kit and pretending to be him. Lilly rides up later, claiming to be separated from a wagon train, but Jeb dies from his injuries.

Mule skinner Matt Caroll is at odds with Clint from the beginning, becoming attracted to Lilly and suspicious of Clint's skill as a doctor. After scout Tall Tale is bitten by a gila monster and needs a limb amputated, Clint's true identity is revealed and Beale makes him leave. Carroll follows, after the gold, but Clint kills him. Clint repents to Beale by leading the caravan to water and helping fend off attacking Apache braves. He reunites with Lilly and vows to return the gold.

Cast

• Rod Cameron – Edward Fitzgerald Beale
• Joanne Dru – Lilly
• John Ireland – Clint McDonald
• John Dehner – Matt Carroll
• Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams – Tall Tale
• Darryl Hickman – Jeb
• Stuart Randall – Lt. Owens
• Mark Hanna – Hi Jolly
• Douglas Fowley – Toad Ellis
• Morris Ankrum – Doc Stanton

Production

Parts of the film were shot in Johnson Canyon and Coral Pink Sand Dunes in Utah.

Notes

• Navajo Indians from Utah played Apaches in the film. John Ireland and Joanne Dru were husband and wife when this film was made.
• This is one of only two films for which the original 3-D elements are lost, the other being Top Banana (1954).
• The film was originally known as Camel Corps.

See also

• List of incomplete or partially lost films

External links

• Southwest Passage at IMDb 
• Southwest Passage at AllMovie
• Southwest Passage at the TCM Movie Database