Streets of Laredo (film)
| Streets of Laredo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Leslie Fenton |
| Written by | Louis Stevens (story) Elizabeth Hill (story) Charles Marquis Warren King Vidor (uncredited) |
| Produced by | Robert Fellows |
| Starring | William Holden Macdonald Carey Mona Freeman William Bendix |
| Cinematography | Ray Rennahan |
| Edited by | Archie Marshek |
| Music by | Victor Young |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,472,000[1] |
Streets of Laredo is a 1949 western film starring William Holden, Macdonald Carey and William Bendix[2] as three outlaws who rescue a young girl, played by Mona Freeman. When they become separated, two reluctantly become Texas Rangers, while the third continues on a life of crime.
The film is a Technicolor remake of King Vidor's black-and-white film The Texas Rangers (1936), which starred Fred MacMurray in Holden's role, Jack Oakie in William Bendix's, Lloyd Nolan in MacDonald Carey's role, and Jean Parker as the girl they rescue.
Plot
A trio of outlaws, Jim Dawkins (Holden), Loren Renning (Carey), and Reuben "Wahoo" Jones (Bendix), rob a stage. But when a young lady, Rannie Carter (Freeman), is menaced by rich and ruthless Charley Calico (Alfonso Bedoya) after her father is killed, the robbers come to her rescue. They run him off, then pay old Pop Lint (Clem Bevans) to watch over her at his ranch.
Loren ends up separated from his partners but continues his life of crime. Jim and Wahoo inadvertently aid some Texas Rangers and are sworn in as Rangers themselves. Loren sees an opportunity, steals a herd of cattle the Rangers are guarding, then lets Jim and Wahoo enhance their reputation by being the ones who bring the cattle back.
Loren's friends turn a blind eye to his activities for a while. Calico is a worse villain, burning Pop's barn and causing the old man to have a fatal heart attack. Calico assaults a Ranger as well, and is ultimately killed by Jim.
But it doesn't end there. Loren now wants Calico's empire for himself. He also wants Rannie, who has grown to be a beautiful woman. Jim, who loves her, calls off the agreement to look the other way at Loren's misdeeds. But he does remove a bullet when a wounded Loren hides out at Rannie's after a holdup.
Jim resigns as a lawman, then vows revenge after Wahoo is gunned down. Now that Rannie can see Loren for what he really is, she wishes Jim luck as he rides to Laredo for a showdown. The former partners face each other for the last time, then Loren is killed.
Cast
- William Holden as Jim Dawkins
- Macdonald Carey as Loren Renning
- Mona Freeman as Rannie Carter
- William Bendix as Reuben "Wahoo" Jones
- Stanley Ridges as Major Bailey
- Alfonso Bedoya as Charley Calico
- Ray Teal as Cantrell
- Clem Bevans as Pop Lint
- James Bell as Ike
- Dick Foote as Texas Ranger Pipes
- Joe Dominguez as Texas Ranger Francisco
- Grandon Rhodes as Phil Jessup
- Perry Ivins as Mayor Towson
- Hank Bell as a Texas Ranger
Inspiration
The film takes its title from the old Western ballad "The Streets of Laredo".
References
- ^ Hollywood Must Keep Zest to Hold Public: Henry Ginsberg of Paramount Says Defeat Talk Hurts Box Office Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 13 Feb 1949: D1.
- ^ José David Saldívar, The Dialectics of Our America: Genealogy, Cultural Critique, and Literary History (Duke University Press, 1991), 52.
