Paramount Pictures
Not part of a collection.
California
Mighty drama of men who were titans...and a woman who was their match!
"Wicked" Lily Bishop joins a wagon train to California, led by Michael Fabian and Johnny Trumbo, but news of the Gold Rush scatters the train. When Johnny and Michael finally arrive, Lily is rich from her saloon and storekeeper (former slaver) Pharaoh Coffin is bleeding the miners dry. But worse troubles are ahead: California is inching toward statehood, and certain people want to make it their private empire.
- Original title
- California
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- —
- Revenue
- —
CinemaSerf
Nov 5, 2023 · via TMDB
I always thought Barbara Stanwyck had the measure of any of the men she co-starred with in westerns, and here she certainly holds her own as the manipulative "Lily". She joins a wagon train heading west, but the gold rush rumours split that up and so she proceeds to the coast where she quickly ends up owning quite a lucrative saloon. She's pretty much sharing control of the town with the odious storekeeper/daylight robbery merchant "Pharaoh Coffin" (George Colouris) when her erstwhile pals "Trumbo" (Ray Milland) and "Fabian" (Barry Fitzgerald) arrive, all amidst increasing calls for Californian statehood. Needless to say, those in power locally want the status quo - the new arrivals want something more "democratic". What now ensues are a series of cat-fights that keep this moving along well enough until, what I must admit to feeling was a bit of a disappointing denouement. Stanwyck stands out, and Fitzgerald and the rather oddly cast Coulouris are also effective. Milland, however, well he doesn't quite cut the mustard and there is way, way too much dialogue as this story takes far too long to get up any head of steam. Still, it's got a pioneering sort of spirit to it that I quite enjoyed.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
Ray Milland
Jonathan Trumbo
Barbara Stanwyck
Lily Bishop
Barry Fitzgerald
Michael Fabian
George Coulouris
Capt. Pharaoh Coffin
Albert Dekker
Mr. Pike
Anthony Quinn
Don Luís Rivera y Hernandez
Frank Faylen
Whitey
Gavin Muir
Booth Pennock
James Burke
Pokey
Eduardo Ciannelli
Padre
Roman Bohnen
Col. Stuart
Argentina Brunetti
Elvira
Howard Freeman
Sen. Creel
Julia Faye
Wagon Woman
Don Beddoe
Stark (uncredited)
Hank Bell
Wagon Driver (uncredited)
Stanley Andrews
Willoughby (uncredited)
Tom Chatterton
Joe (uncredited)
Kernan Cripps
Shopkeeper (uncredited)
Sam Flint
Higgins (uncredited)
Harry Hayden
Barrett (uncredited)
Ian Wolfe
President James K. Polk (uncredited)
Philip Van Zandt
Mr. Gunce (uncredited)
Minerva Urecal
Emma (uncredited)
Phil Tead
Eddie (uncredited)
Frances Morris
Mrs. Smith (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw
Reb (uncredited)
Will Wright
Chairman (uncredited)
Si Jenks
Settler (uncredited)
Francis Ford
Jessie (uncredited)
Jeff Corey
Clem (uncredited)
Louis Mason
Slim (uncredited)
Lester Dorr
Mike (uncredited)
Al Bridge
Town Marshal (uncredited)
Jesse Graves
Black Servant (uncredited)
Bob Kortman
Pioneer (uncredited)
Darby Jones
Black Slave (uncredited)
Dick Wessel
Blacksmith (uncredited)
Bud Geary
Blacksmith (uncredited)
Martín Garralaga
Mexican Sheepherder (uncredited)
Pedro Regas
Mexican Sheepherder (uncredited)
George Sowards
Coffin Man (uncredited)
Al Ferguson
Card Player (uncredited)
Phil Dunham
Barber (uncredited)
Ben Corbett
Fabian Supporter (uncredited)
Clancy Cooper
Cavalry N.C.O. (uncredited)
Tom Fadden
Stranger (uncredited)
George Magrill
Stranger (uncredited)
Rex Lease
Stranger (uncredited)
Frank Hagney
Stranger (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson
Stranger (uncredited)
Colin Kenny
Delegate (uncredited)
George Melford
Delegate (uncredited)
Tony Paton
Delegate (uncredited)
Fred Santley
Delegate (uncredited)
Jack Tornek
Delegate (uncredited)
Joseph E. Bernard
Miner (uncredited)
Stanley Blystone
Miner (uncredited)
Chet Brandenburg
Miner (uncredited)
Jack Rube Clifford
Miner (uncredited)
Harry Cording
Miner (uncredited)
John George
Miner (uncredited)
George Lloyd
Miner (uncredited)
Robert Milasch
Miner (uncredited)
Sol Murgi
Miner (uncredited)
Jack Perrin
Miner (uncredited)
Cap Somers
Miner (uncredited)
Blackie Whiteford
—
Sam Comer
Set Decoration
Edith Head
Costume Design
Wally Westmore
Makeup Supervisor
George Sowards
Stunts
Richard Farnsworth
Stunts
John Farrow
Director
Michael D. Moore
Second Assistant Director
John Farrow
Producer
Seton I. Miller
Producer
Victor Young
Original Music Composer
Victor Young
Songs
E.Y. Harburg
Lyricist
Frank Butler
Screenplay
Boris Ingster
Story
Freighters of Destiny
Lawless Plainsmen
Sutter's Gold
Silverado
Ravenous
Love Comes Softly
The Big Trail
The Secret of Convict Lake
West of Wyoming
The Indian Fighter
The Legend of Zorro
The Hallelujah Trail
Can't Help Singing
The Red Pony
Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here
Cyclone of the Saddle
The Oregon Trail
Doomed Caravan
Daniel Boone: The Promised Land
Untitled
3:10 to Yuma
Hombre
Bend of the River
Dodge City
Run for Cover
Rawhide
Canyon Passage
Wagon Master
Chisum
The Big Trail
Union Pacific
The Last Wagon
Tall in the Saddle
Go West
Ramrod
Man Without a Star
The Indian Fighter
Cat Ballou
The Rare Breed
The Hallelujah Trail
Feb 21, 1947
