Watch The Gal Who Took the West For Free

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

...And who better to do it than slow eyed vamp Yvonne de Carlo, then exotic, exciting and new. She's the lily of the valley of the old west in this fun colorful western, a subject of confusion who three old codgers who can't agree on how their territory was settled. Regardless of what the truth is, one thing is clear. De Carlo doesn't have to go out and demand equal treatment in this man's world; she gets it simply by being smart, independent and determined...and a little bit of femininity didn't hurt either!Scott Brady and John Russell are the feuding cousins who vie for de Carlo's hand, adding to their already existing animosity. Trying to end this is their feisty big daddy like grandfather Charles Coburn, not because he wants to see them get together, but simply because unlike other generations of the family, in his mind, they don't have a genuine motive! Old codger Coburn is so sly and scheming himself, it's surprising that he doesn't make a play for Yvonne himself! As usual, Coburn is a masterful scene stealer.Getting to sing an Irish ditty, de Carlo sounds just like she would 22 years later when she introduced the Broadway standard "I'm Still Here!" in "Follies". Like that song, de Carlo often comes off as a bit camp, even breaking into a lively version of "Frankie and Johnny". Like her "McClintock" rival Maureen O'Hara, she's made for Technicolor, and every inch a man's equal. In fact, in westerns, she's just like what Barbara Stanwyck described women to be: just as important as the men out there settling the land. Colorful, funny and yet historically believable, this is a unique western in the sense that this could simply be set anywhere in the unsettled United States: north, south, east or west.

The screenplay purports to tell the story of Lily Maldoon(Yvonne De Carlo) and her ambition to marry the future richest man in Arizona Territory. But there are 2 candidates for this distinction: Grant and Lee O'Hara(John Russell, and Scott Brady, respectively), who are still under the thumb of their patriarchal grandfather, being the offspring of 2 brothers who fought on opposite sides in the Civil War, and died then or later. The story is told from a flashback viewpoint, by 3 old timers(Houseley Stevenson, Russell Simpson, and Clem Bevans) in the then modern world. That should make it around the turn of the century when these events took place. Others may disagree but, in my opinion, the device of telling the story from 3 viewpoints, not including Lily's own story near the end, was a poor choice, as it makes the story too repetitive.Easily recognizable Charles Colburn has a gay time as the virtual dictator of Arizona, and of the interactions between the 3 younger generation. Thus, he is rather like Ben Cartwright of "Bonanza" in relation to his sons, only Colburn's "sons" are continuously at each other's throats. Initially, Colburn told Yvonne she had to go to avoid a civil war between Grant and Lee and their respective supporters. Later, he told her she had to stay and make up her mind which grandchild she wanted to marry before they killed each other. It's interesting that, in the end, Lee tells Grant he'd better hurry up and marry Yvonne or he will shoot him. Talk about a shotgun marriage!Colburn thought he had contracted for a plump old opera singer from NYC to come to celebrate the opening of his opera house. But Yvonne finally tells him what he suspected all along: she's an imposter(we never are told her real name), attracted to the $10,000. salary Colburn offered for a single appearance. She says she is a (very) different kind of singer. In Grant's saloon, she sings "Clancy Lowered the Boom", while in the opera house, she sings "Frankie and Johnnie". Colburn seems to take this turn of events in stride.It's obvious that part of the film was shot in the Saguaro cactus forest, while other parts were shoot on a ranch near Calabasas, CA.The main reason for seeing this film is to experience Yvonne and Colburn at their respective peaks. Also, John Russell, as Grant, is quite handsome, rather like Clark Gable. Also, there is a ferocious indoor fight between Grant and Lee near the end.See it at YouTube in Technicolor

Wonderful Yvonne De Carlo! This story of two cousins,vying with each others for a valuable property ,waiting for the ancestor's death (but it seems he is not about to kick the bucket) is a comedy where nobody seems to take things seriously ;there's a very long fight between the two heirs towards the end and Yvonne's choice does not seem to be the wisest,if we consider the very last picture of the movie.But it does not matter;the only thing that matters is miss De Carlo:when she appears ,we only have eyes for her;her two songs are a true delight (the second one is witty,funny and infectious);generally I do not go much for those saloon ballads but those are the highlights of the movie.The story is told by three old "witnesses";thus the arrival of the lady is filmed three times,each one giving his own version of the facts.

The fun of this film is telling the story from three different viewpoints -- each version diametrically opposed to the others -- what is the truth? probably a mixture of all of them -- it's a fun film with DeCarlo in fine form and the feuding brothers fighting it out for her affections is half the fun.