Yellowstone Kelly
Yellowstone Kelly | |
---|---|
Clay Fisher | |
Starring | |
Cinematography | William H. Ziegler |
Music by | Howard Jackson |
Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | Warner Bros. |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $1.7 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)[1] |
Yellowstone Kelly is a 1959 American
At the time the film was notable for using the leads of then popular
The novel was based on the real life Luther Kelly.[2]
Plot
Trapper Yellowstone Kelly and his partner Anse Harper come upon the sick Arapaho Wahleeh. Wahleeh is a captive of Sioux Chief Gall and is desired by both Gall and his nephew Sayapi. Kelly keeps Wahleeh to cure her and promises to return her to Gall when spring comes. However Sayapi vows to take Wahleeh back and kill Kelly. As winter ends Wahleeh has recovered and wishes to return to her people and not be returned to Gall or Sayapi. She finds herself falling in love with Kelly, But Sayapi attacks Kelly's cabin while he is trapping, injuring Harper and taking Wahleeh away. When Kelly returns he finds his cabin burning and Harper alive but succumbing to his wounds. But, before his death, he tells Kelly that Sayapi has taken Wahleeh. Kelly tracks down Sayapi's band engaging in a gun fight that kills Sayapi and his braves. Kelly intends to keep his word and return Wahleeh to Gall despite his feelings for Wahleeh, but they come across a Cavalry troop that has been attacked by Gall. Gall and his warriors return to attack the troop. Before the attack, Gall confronts Kelly, telling him he can leave in peace if he gives up Wahleeh; but the troops must remain to be slaughtered. Kelly will not give up Wahleeh if it means the deaths of the soldiers. Gall's warriors mount the first attack killing many of the troops. All seems lost as Gall prepares for his second attack, when Wahleeh rides out to Gall in an attempt to save Kelly. Wahleeh is injured when her horse overturns while Kelly and Gall race to her side. Kelly clearly showing his feelings for Wahleeh tells Gall to end the battle so more don't have to feel as they do. Gall agrees and leaves with his warriors. Some time later Kelly and Waleeh are seen taking Kelly's fur pelts to a riverboat for delivery.
Cast
- Clint Walker as Luther "Yellowstone" Kelly
- Edd Byrnes as Anse Harper
- John Russell as Gall, Sioux Chief
- Ray Danton as Sayapi, Gall's nephew
- Claude Akins as Sergeant
- Rhodes Reason as Major Towns
- Andra Martin as Wahleeah, Sayapi's Arapaho captive
- Gary Vinson as Lieutenant
- Warren Oates as Corporal
Production
Warner Bros announced the project in August 1956 saying that John Wayne would star.[3] It was based on a novel by Clay Fisher, not published until April 1957.[4] When the novel came out the New York Times said it "rates grade A without question".[5]
D.D. Beauchamp was hired to write a script.[6] Then Eliot Asinof was reported as working on the script.[7] Jack Warner assigned Irving Shermer as producer.[8]
By early 1959 the project had become a vehicle for Clint Walker, the star of
Walker's co-star was Edd Byrnes who had leapt to fame playing "Kookie" on the Warner Bros detective show 77 Sunset Strip.[10][11]
Filming took place in April and June 1959, partly on location South of Flagstaff, Arizona which is now modern day Sedona, Arizona. "I felt miserable and lost ten pounds in one month" said Byrnes.[12] Ray Danton was signed to a long-term contract at Warners after the film.[13]
Reception
The Los Angeles Times called the film "fairly good" in which Byrnes was "a bit too contemporary. Let it be said that he left his comb somewhere in the Sunset Strip and played it straight from there. Burt Kennedy's script is first rate."[14]
According to Kinematograph Weekly the film performed "better than average" at the British box office in 1959.[15]
Comic book adaptation
- Dell Four Color #1056 (October 1959)[16][17] Drawn by Dan Spiegle
References
- ^ "1959: Probable Domestic Take", Variety, 6 January 1960 p 34.
- ^ Hager, C. Michael. Brief biography, RareWinchesters.com. Accessed: July 19, 2013.
- ProQuest 167000195.
- ProQuest 113999012.
- ProQuest 114170286.
- ProQuest 113787433.
- ProQuest 167096214.
- ProQuest 167098399.
- ^ "Burt Kennedy: Writing Broadway in Arizona". Parallax View. November 6, 2008.
- ProQuest 182263353.
- ProQuest 114669001.
- ProQuest 182377654.
- ProQuest 167462109.
- ProQuest 167558238.
- ^ Billings, Josh (December 17, 1959). "Other better-than-average offerings". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 7.
- ^ "Dell Four Color #1056". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ Dell Four Color #1056 at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
External links
- Yellowstone Kelly at IMDb
- Yellowstone Kelly at AllMovie
- Yellowstone Kelly at the TCM Movie Database
- Yellowstone Kelly opening titles on YouTube