The Furies (1950 film)

Plot

T. C. Jeffords (Walter Huston) is a wealthy cattle baron who feels the Herrera family is squatting illegally on his property, The Furies. T.C.'s beloved daughter, Vance (Barbara Stanwyck), who is as obsessed with wealth and every bit as ruthless as her father, has a close bond with Juan Herrera (Gilbert Roland) in secret. What she wants more is a proper husband who can run the giant ranch with her once T.C. is gone. She falls in love with Rip Darrow (Wendell Corey), who holds a grudge against T.C., believing a portion of The Furies land to be rightfully his. Vance is shocked when Rip accepts a $50,000 bribe from T.C. to permanently get out of her life. Rip opens a bank in town near a saloon he owns called "The Legal Tender".

T.C. is so self-possessed, he pays bills with "T.C." notes rather than actual dollars. One day, he brings home to The Furies a woman, Flo Burnett (Judith Anderson), who wants to marry T.C. for his money. Vance comes to resent this intruder so much, she attacks Flo with a pair of scissors, disfiguring Burnett in a fit of rage. Now that he hates the daughter he once cherished, T.C. cuts off all contact with her. He decides to run off her friends, the Herreras, who engage T.C.'s men in a violent gunfight. When they surrender, T.C. cruelly has Juan Herrera hanged.

Swearing vengeance, Vance travels about the west buying up "T.C." notes. Her father's wealth is eroding, to the point that he even goes to Flo in a vain attempt to borrow $50,000 he needs to save The Furies. Vance conspires with her old lover Rip to deceive T.C., even giving him false hope that a wealthy investor is lending him the money. Upon discovering what his daughter has done, T.C. congratulates her on her cunning. He declares it's not too late for him to "start from scratch", but before he can, the bereaved mother (Blanche Yurka) of Juan Herrera guns him down.

Cast

Filming locations