Johnny Reno
Encyclopedia
Johnny Reno is a 1966
American western film made by A.C. Lyles Productions and released by Paramount Pictures
. It was directed by R.G. Springsteen, produced by A.C. Lyles, with a screenplay by Andrew Craddock, Steve Fisher
and A.C. Lyles.
, Jane Russell
, and Lon Chaney, Jr.
, and involves a frontier marshal (Andrews) who finds himself desperately trying to stop a man he had brought to jail from being lynched by the furious townspeople.
), is riding through the American West, observed by two men hidden in behind rocks. Taking him to be a lawman despatched on their trail, they try to kill him. He manages to evade them, creeps up them behind and kills one of them, wounding the other whom he takes prisoner.
The captive (Drake
) reveals himself and his dead companion to be the Connors Brothers, on the run from a posse
and a Native American
war party both of whom are out for their blood. Reno takes the man prisoner and heads for the town of Stone Junction, where the Connors were alleged to have committed the murder of the son of a local Indian chief.
Once they reach Stone Junction, the townsmen thank Reno for bringing in Connors. They insist that the man should be tried and executed for the murder and then handed over to the Indians. The local Sheriff
, Hodges (Chaney
), a weak and conciliatory man goes along with this. Reno insists that the man is taken to Kansas City
for trial, as the murder of an Indian is a federal crime
. This displeases the townsmen, who quickly grow hostile to Reno, and urge him to leave town quickly.
The owner of the town's saloon, Nona Williams (Russell
), an old flame
of his and the reason he had come to Stone Junction in the first place. While paying her a visit at her ranch
, he is held by gunmen, hoping to allow their comrades time break into the sheriff's office and lynch
Connors. He shoots them and hurries back to the town just in time to prevent the hanging.
Previously the townsmen had shrunk at the idea of killing a US Marshal, as that was likely to bring down a heavy reaction from the government. Now they grow increasingly desperate, as they fear that the Indians will attack the town. They order all woman, children and old men to be evacuated leaving only the young men who pledge to defend the town. Nona Williams refuses to leave, and stays to tend to her saloon.
Reno then discovers that it was in fact the townsmen and not the guileless Connors who had committed the murder. They had done so because the daughter of a prominent local, Jess Yates (Bettger
), had fallen in love with the chief’s son. They had killed him to stop a marriage taking place. He released Connors who helps to fight alongside Reno and the Sheriff, who has decided to accept the responsibilities that his badge entails and help uphold the law.
The townsmen surround the sheriff’s office and attack, losing a number of men. The Sheriff is also killed in the fighting, leaving just Connors and Reno against the man armed townsmen who are baying for their blood.
As they are about to be cut down, the Indians arrive with a captive who has revealed under torture what had really happened. The Indians and the townsmen begin to fight. In the resulting shootout they are all killed, save for Reno and Connors. At the end they meet up with the woman and children who are sheltering in a nearby abandoned fort. Reno and Nona Williams depart into the sunset to start a new life together.
1966 in film
The year 1966 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Animation legend Walter Disney, well known for his creation of Mickey Mouse, died in 15 December 1966 of acute circulatory collapse following a diagnosis of, and surgery for, lung cancer...
American western film made by A.C. Lyles Productions and released by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
. It was directed by R.G. Springsteen, produced by A.C. Lyles, with a screenplay by Andrew Craddock, Steve Fisher
Steve Fisher
Steve Fisher is an American college basketball coach currently at San Diego State University.Fisher attended Illinois State University, where he helped lead the Redbirds to the 1967 Division II Final Four. After school, he became a high school coach in Park Forest, Illinois. In 1979, he accepted...
and A.C. Lyles.
Synopsis
The film features Dana AndrewsDana Andrews
Dana Andrews was an American film actor. He was one of Hollywood's major stars of the 1940s, and continued acting, though generally in less prestigious roles, into the 1980s.-Early life:...
, Jane Russell
Jane Russell
Jane Russell was an American film actress and was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s....
, and Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr. , born Creighton Tull Chaney, was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles in monster movies and as the son of famous silent film actor, Lon Chaney...
, and involves a frontier marshal (Andrews) who finds himself desperately trying to stop a man he had brought to jail from being lynched by the furious townspeople.
Plot
A lone horseman, US Marshal Johnny Reno (AndrewsDana Andrews
Dana Andrews was an American film actor. He was one of Hollywood's major stars of the 1940s, and continued acting, though generally in less prestigious roles, into the 1980s.-Early life:...
), is riding through the American West, observed by two men hidden in behind rocks. Taking him to be a lawman despatched on their trail, they try to kill him. He manages to evade them, creeps up them behind and kills one of them, wounding the other whom he takes prisoner.
The captive (Drake
Tom Drake
Tom Drake , born Alfred Sinclair Alderdice in Brooklyn, New York, was an American actor. Drake made films starting in 1940 and continuing until the mid-1970s, and also made TV acting appearances....
) reveals himself and his dead companion to be the Connors Brothers, on the run from a posse
Posse comitatus (common law)
Posse comitatus or sheriff's posse is the common-law or statute law authority of a county sheriff or other law officer to conscript any able-bodied males to assist him in keeping the peace or to pursue and arrest a felon, similar to the concept of the "hue and cry"...
and a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
war party both of whom are out for their blood. Reno takes the man prisoner and heads for the town of Stone Junction, where the Connors were alleged to have committed the murder of the son of a local Indian chief.
Once they reach Stone Junction, the townsmen thank Reno for bringing in Connors. They insist that the man should be tried and executed for the murder and then handed over to the Indians. The local Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, Hodges (Chaney
Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr. , born Creighton Tull Chaney, was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles in monster movies and as the son of famous silent film actor, Lon Chaney...
), a weak and conciliatory man goes along with this. Reno insists that the man is taken to Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
for trial, as the murder of an Indian is a federal crime
Federal crime
In the United States, a federal crime or federal offense is a crime that is made illegal by U.S. federal legislation. In the United States, criminal law and prosecution happen at both the federal and the state levels; thus a “federal crime” is one that is prosecuted under federal criminal law, and...
. This displeases the townsmen, who quickly grow hostile to Reno, and urge him to leave town quickly.
The owner of the town's saloon, Nona Williams (Russell
Jane Russell
Jane Russell was an American film actress and was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s....
), an old flame
Significant other
Significant other is colloquially used as a gender-blind term for a person's partner in an intimate relationship without disclosing or presuming anything about marital status, relationship status, or sexual orientation, as it is vague enough to avoid offense by using a term that an individual...
of his and the reason he had come to Stone Junction in the first place. While paying her a visit at her ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
, he is held by gunmen, hoping to allow their comrades time break into the sheriff's office and lynch
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
Connors. He shoots them and hurries back to the town just in time to prevent the hanging.
Previously the townsmen had shrunk at the idea of killing a US Marshal, as that was likely to bring down a heavy reaction from the government. Now they grow increasingly desperate, as they fear that the Indians will attack the town. They order all woman, children and old men to be evacuated leaving only the young men who pledge to defend the town. Nona Williams refuses to leave, and stays to tend to her saloon.
Reno then discovers that it was in fact the townsmen and not the guileless Connors who had committed the murder. They had done so because the daughter of a prominent local, Jess Yates (Bettger
Lyle Bettger
Lyle S. Bettger was a character actor known most for his Hollywood roles from the 1950s, typically portraying villains...
), had fallen in love with the chief’s son. They had killed him to stop a marriage taking place. He released Connors who helps to fight alongside Reno and the Sheriff, who has decided to accept the responsibilities that his badge entails and help uphold the law.
The townsmen surround the sheriff’s office and attack, losing a number of men. The Sheriff is also killed in the fighting, leaving just Connors and Reno against the man armed townsmen who are baying for their blood.
As they are about to be cut down, the Indians arrive with a captive who has revealed under torture what had really happened. The Indians and the townsmen begin to fight. In the resulting shootout they are all killed, save for Reno and Connors. At the end they meet up with the woman and children who are sheltering in a nearby abandoned fort. Reno and Nona Williams depart into the sunset to start a new life together.
Cast
- Dana AndrewsDana AndrewsDana Andrews was an American film actor. He was one of Hollywood's major stars of the 1940s, and continued acting, though generally in less prestigious roles, into the 1980s.-Early life:...
as Johnny Reno - Jane RussellJane RussellJane Russell was an American film actress and was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s....
as Nona Williams - Lon Chaney, Jr.Lon Chaney, Jr.Lon Chaney, Jr. , born Creighton Tull Chaney, was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles in monster movies and as the son of famous silent film actor, Lon Chaney...
as Sheriff Hodges - John AgarJohn AgarJohn George Agar was an American actor. He starred alongside John Wayne in the films Sands of Iwo Jima, Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, but was later relegated to B movies, such as Tarantula, The Mole People, The Brain from Planet Arous, Flesh and the Spur, and Hand of Death...
as Ed Tomkins - Lyle BettgerLyle BettgerLyle S. Bettger was a character actor known most for his Hollywood roles from the 1950s, typically portraying villains...
as Jess Yates - Tom DrakeTom DrakeTom Drake , born Alfred Sinclair Alderdice in Brooklyn, New York, was an American actor. Drake made films starting in 1940 and continuing until the mid-1970s, and also made TV acting appearances....
as Joe Conners - Richard ArlenRichard Arlen-Biography:Born Sylvanus Richard Van Mattimore in St. Paul, Minnesota, he attended the University of Pennsylvania. He served as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. His first job after the war was with St. Paul's Athletic Club...
as Ned Duggan - Robert LoweryRobert Lowery (actor)Robert Lowery was an American motion picture, television, and stage actor who appeared in over seventy films.-Early life:...
as Jake Reed