The Woman of the Town
| The Woman of the Town | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | George Archainbaud |
| Produced by | Harry Sherman |
| Screenplay by | Aeneas MacKenzie |
| Story by | Norman Houston |
| Starring |
Claire Trevor Albert Dekker Barry Sullivan Henry Hull Porter Hall Percy Kilbride Clem Bevans |
| Music by | Miklós Rózsa |
| Cinematography | Russell Harlan |
| Edited by | Carroll Lewis |
Production company |
Harry Sherman Productions |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Woman of the Town is a 1943 American Western film directed by George Archainbaud and written by Aeneas MacKenzie. The film stars Claire Trevor, Albert Dekker, Barry Sullivan, Henry Hull, Porter Hall, Percy Kilbride and Clem Bevans.
The film was loosely based on the true stories of Dora Hand and Bat Masterson. It was released on December 31, 1943, by United Artists.[1][2]
Plot
In 1919, Bat Masterson, now a newspaperman in New York City, reflects back on the previous century and his experiences in the American West.
Traveling to Dodge City, Kansas to look up Inky, an old friend, Bat becomes actively involved after the town's sheriff gets shot. He takes over as lawman, his major concern the ruthless rancher King Kennedy's band of rowdy cowboys.
Dora Hand's singing of a hymn in church leads to Bat becoming infatuated with her. He and the Rev. Small are surprised to discover that Dora works in the saloon, which is owned by "Dog" Kelley, who is also Dodge City's mayor. The reverend finds this inappropriate, but Bat writes a newspaper article condemning prejudice of any kind.
Dora has a good heart. She takes care of a sick child, impressing others in town. She also wants Bat to give up his dangerous life, so she asks her uncle in Kansas City to hire Bat for his newspaper there. The uncle is appalled by Dora's line of work and consents with one stipulation, that she never set foot in Kansas City again.
Back in Dodge, she declines Bat's marriage proposal, knowing she can't join him at the new job. She begins seeing King socially instead. But when a fight breaks out, the mayor is killed by King, whose errant gunshots also hit Dora by mistake. After her funeral, Bat buries his guns and leaves town.
Cast
- Claire Trevor as Dora Hand
- Albert Dekker as Bat Masterson
- Barry Sullivan as King Kennedy
- Henry Hull as Inky Wilkinson
- Porter Hall as Mayor Dog Kelley
- Percy Kilbride as Rev. Samuel Small
- Clem Bevans as Buffalo Burns
- Marion Martin as Daisy Davenport
- Beryl Wallace as Louella Parsons
- Arthur Hohl as Robert Wright
- Teddi Sherman as Fanny Garretson
- George Cleveland as Judge Blackburn
- Russell Hicks as Publisher
- Herbert Rawlinson as Doc Sears
- Marlene Mains as Annie Logan
- Dorothy Granger as Belle
- Dewey Robinson as Waddy Kerns
- Wade Crosby as Crockett
- Hal Taliaferro as Wagner
- Glenn Strange as Walker
- Charley Foy as Eddie Foy, Sr.
- Claire Whitney as Mrs. Robert Wright
- Russell Simpson as Sime
- Eula Guy as Mrs. Brown
- Frances Morris as Mrs. Logan
References
- ↑ "The Woman of the Town (1943) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ↑ "Amazon.com: Woman of the Town: Claire Trevor, Albert Dekker, Barry Sullivan, Henry Hull, Porter Hall, Percy Kilbride: Movies & TV". Retrieved 12 October 2014.