5.8 /10 1 Votes
Produced by William Alland Cinematography Carl E. Guthrie Director Lesley Selander Producer William Alland | 5.8/10 IMDb Written by Lyn Crost Kennedy Initial release November 1952 Production company Universal Pictures | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Screenplay by Polly James
Lillie Hayward Starring Richard Conte
Viveca Lindfors
Barbara Britton Music by Henry Mancini
Herman Stein Music director Henry Mancini, Herman Stein Cast Richard Conte, Barbara Britton, Viveca Lindfors Similar Richard Conte movies, Directed by Lesley Selander, Westerns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Raiders is a Technicolor 1952 Western directed by Lesley Selander, starring Richard Conte and Viveca Lindfors.
Contents
Plot
Going west where gold is being found, Jan Morell and wife Mary meet up in the Napa, California valley with his prospector brother Frank, but soon hired gunmen Jack Welch and Hank Purvis steal the gold they have panned and kill Mary.
In town, Frank is killed as well and Jan seriously wounded. He is cared for by Felipe de Ortega and sister Elena, who explain that Welch and Purvis work for dishonest Mayor Thomas Ainsworth, who also stole the Ortega family's land and property. An approval of statehood for California could restore law and order, as well as citizens' rights.
Elena fears for their safety, but Jan joins forces with Felipe's men to create havoc in Ainsworth's life, rustling horses and stealing money. A new U.S. marshal, Henderson, places a $5,000 reward on him, but Jan nevertheless captures Purvis and threatens to lynch him if he doesn't confess to Ainsworth's misdeeds. Elizabeth Ainsworth now begins to understand her father's corrupt ways.
As the gunfighting intensifies, both Welch and Felipe are killed. Jan is arrested and faces the hangman, but Henderson believes in his innocence and is able to release him when statehood wins approval and a general amnesty is granted. Jan and Elena plan a new life together.