Vengeance Valley - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia

Vengeance valley 1951 western full movie

Vengeance Valley is a 1951 American western film starring Burt Lancaster, based on the novel by Luke Short. In 1979, the film entered the public domain due to the failure of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to renew the copyright registration in the 28th year after the movies' publication.

Vengeance valley 1951 full length western movie burt lancaster

Plot

Fifteen years ago, wealthy but crippled Colorado cattleman Arch Strobie (Ray Collins), whose own son Lee (Robert Walker) is wild, took in young Owen Daybright (Burt Lancaster) as a foster son to help raise him. Now Owen is ranch foreman, but Lee, despite being married to Jen (Joanne Dru), is wilder than ever.

Unmarried Lily Fasken (Sally Forrest) gives birth but refuses to identify the father. After Owen gives Lily $500 to help care for the baby, her brothers Hub (John Ireland) and Dick (Hugh O'Brian) believe that he is the guilty party, unaware that he did so on Lee's behalf. The brothers try to beat up Owen and he lodges a complaint against them. Sentenced to a week in jail, they vow to get even as soon as they're out.

When Arch chides Lee for overdrawing his bank account by withdrawing $500 in gold, Jen realizes that Lee fathered Lily's baby. She confronts him and Lee tries to lie his way out. She decides to leave him but is persuaded by Owen and Arch to stay. Lee inveigles Arch to make him a partner in the ranch by saying that he will strike out on his own unless he gets a half-interest and learns that the other half will go to Owen once Arch retires.

Jen locks Lee out of their bedroom. Lee gets drunk, mistakenly believing she and Owen are carrying on behind his back. He schemes to get rid of Owen and make a fortune at the same time by conspiring with Hub and Dick to ambush Owen during the spring cattle roundup. On the trail, Lee secretly sells 3,000 head of the cattle, planning to run off with it, but Owen learns about it.

Lee pretends to change his mind. He persuades Owen to ride in with him to stop the sale, but in fact he lures Owen into a trap. Hub and Dick, waiting in ambush, wound Owen as Lee casually rides away. In the ensuing gunfight, Owen Kills Dick. Hearing shots, a group of trailhands ride to Owen's rescue. They chase down and shoot Hub. Owen catches up with Lee and tells him he is going to confess everything to Arch. Lee draws his gun, forcing Owen to kill him. Owen breaks the news to Arch and Jen.

Cast

Burt Lancaster as Owen Daybright

Robert Walker as Lee Strobie

Joanne Dru as Jen Strobie

Sally Forrest as Lily Fasken

John Ireland as Hub Fasken

Carleton Carpenter as Hewie, a loyal young ranch hand in love with Lily

Ray Collins as Arch Strobie

Ted de Corsia as Herb Backett, a cattle rustler Owen beats up

Hugh O'Brian as Dick Fasken

Will Wright as Mr. Willoughby, the ranch cook

Grayce Mills as Mrs. Burke

Jim Hayward as Sheriff Con Alvis

James Harrison as Orv Esterly

Stanley Andrews as Mead Calhoun

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $1,997,000 in the US and Canada and $1,149,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $841,000.

References

Vengeance Valley Wikipedia

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