Westward the Women
Encyclopedia
Westward the Women is a 1951 western film directed by William A. Wellman
and starring Robert Taylor
, Denise Darcel
and John McIntire
.
) decides to transport marriageable women west to join his lonely men, hoping the couples will put down roots and settle his California valley. Roy hires a skeptical, hardened trail boss, Buck Wyatt (Robert Taylor
), to lead the wagon train
along the California Trail
. In Chicago, Roy recruits 138 "good women". Telling the women about his valley, Roy encourages them to pick their prospective mates from pictures he has tacked to a board. Two saloon girls, Fifi Danon (Denise Darcel
) and Laurie Smith (Julie Bishop
), hastily change their flashy clothes when others like them are rejected. Roy is not fooled by their disguise, but convinced of their sincere wish to reform, he adds them to the group.
During the journey, Buck shoots one of his men as punishment for raping Laurie. As a result, all but two of the trail hands desert the wagons in the middle of the night, taking eight of the women with them. This leaves only Ito (Henry Nakamura), the Japanese cook, and Sid Cutler (an uncredited Pat Conway), who has fallen in love with an already-pregnant Rose Meyers (Beverly Dennis), to lead the train. Buck, feeling he cannot continue without more experienced hands, decides the group must turn back. The women refuse to accept his decision. Roy believes that the women can learn to do "a man's job", so Buck starts training them. However, the only child in the group is accidentally shot by his own mother during shooting practice. Buck is forced to knock out the distraught woman, (Renata Vanni) when she refuses to leave her son's grave in the desert.
The women perform heroically, persevering through many hardships, including a stampede. An Indian attack kills Roy, Sid, and some of the women. Laurie drowns when a rainstorm overturns her wagon, trapping her inside. However, Fifi's bravery and determination begin to thaw out Buck's disapproval of women in general and of her in particular. When the survivors finally reach their destination, the women balk at entering town where their prospective grooms are waiting - until Buck can bring them decent clothing and "pretty things" so that they can look presentable. The men of the valley gather together curtains, tablecloths, Indian blankets, any material they can find, for the women to make into new clothes.
The ladies then ride triumphantly into town and pair up with the men whose photographs they carried across country. The happy couples get in line before the preacher. Ito coaxes Fifi to convince Buck to join the line to get married.
, Paria Canyon and Johnson Creek
, Utah, according to Turner Classic Movies
.
William A. Wellman
William Augustus Wellman was an American film director. Although Wellman began his film career as an actor, he worked on over 80 films, as director, producer and consultant but most often as a director, notable for his work in crime, adventure and action genre films, often focusing on aviation...
and starring Robert Taylor
Robert Taylor (actor)
Robert Taylor was an American film and television actor.-Early life:Born Spangler Arlington Brugh in Filley, Nebraska, he was the son of Ruth Adaline and Spangler Andrew Brugh, who was a farmer turned doctor...
, Denise Darcel
Denise Darcel
Denise Darcel is a retired French actress who made a few films in Hollywood.Born as Denise Billecard in Paris, she was college educated. According to one of her friends who she met in Paris during WWII, she was a passenger in an L-5 Stinson light observation aircraft on VJ Day to see the...
and John McIntire
John McIntire
John McIntire was an American character actor.-Career:The craggy-faced film actor was born in Spokane in eastern Washington State but reared in Montana, growing up around ranchers and cowboys, an experience that would later inspire his performances in dozens of westerns.A graduate of USC, McIntire...
.
Plot
In 1851, Roy Whitman (John McIntireJohn McIntire
John McIntire was an American character actor.-Career:The craggy-faced film actor was born in Spokane in eastern Washington State but reared in Montana, growing up around ranchers and cowboys, an experience that would later inspire his performances in dozens of westerns.A graduate of USC, McIntire...
) decides to transport marriageable women west to join his lonely men, hoping the couples will put down roots and settle his California valley. Roy hires a skeptical, hardened trail boss, Buck Wyatt (Robert Taylor
Robert Taylor (actor)
Robert Taylor was an American film and television actor.-Early life:Born Spangler Arlington Brugh in Filley, Nebraska, he was the son of Ruth Adaline and Spangler Andrew Brugh, who was a farmer turned doctor...
), to lead the wagon train
Wagon train
A wagon train is a group of wagons traveling together. In the American West, individuals traveling across the plains in covered wagons banded together for mutual assistance, as is reflected in numerous films and television programs about the region, such as Audie Murphy's Tumbleweed and Ward Bond...
along the California Trail
California Trail
The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California...
. In Chicago, Roy recruits 138 "good women". Telling the women about his valley, Roy encourages them to pick their prospective mates from pictures he has tacked to a board. Two saloon girls, Fifi Danon (Denise Darcel
Denise Darcel
Denise Darcel is a retired French actress who made a few films in Hollywood.Born as Denise Billecard in Paris, she was college educated. According to one of her friends who she met in Paris during WWII, she was a passenger in an L-5 Stinson light observation aircraft on VJ Day to see the...
) and Laurie Smith (Julie Bishop
Julie Bishop (actress)
Julie Bishop was an American film and television actress. She appeared in over 80 films between 1923 and 1957....
), hastily change their flashy clothes when others like them are rejected. Roy is not fooled by their disguise, but convinced of their sincere wish to reform, he adds them to the group.
During the journey, Buck shoots one of his men as punishment for raping Laurie. As a result, all but two of the trail hands desert the wagons in the middle of the night, taking eight of the women with them. This leaves only Ito (Henry Nakamura), the Japanese cook, and Sid Cutler (an uncredited Pat Conway), who has fallen in love with an already-pregnant Rose Meyers (Beverly Dennis), to lead the train. Buck, feeling he cannot continue without more experienced hands, decides the group must turn back. The women refuse to accept his decision. Roy believes that the women can learn to do "a man's job", so Buck starts training them. However, the only child in the group is accidentally shot by his own mother during shooting practice. Buck is forced to knock out the distraught woman, (Renata Vanni) when she refuses to leave her son's grave in the desert.
The women perform heroically, persevering through many hardships, including a stampede. An Indian attack kills Roy, Sid, and some of the women. Laurie drowns when a rainstorm overturns her wagon, trapping her inside. However, Fifi's bravery and determination begin to thaw out Buck's disapproval of women in general and of her in particular. When the survivors finally reach their destination, the women balk at entering town where their prospective grooms are waiting - until Buck can bring them decent clothing and "pretty things" so that they can look presentable. The men of the valley gather together curtains, tablecloths, Indian blankets, any material they can find, for the women to make into new clothes.
The ladies then ride triumphantly into town and pair up with the men whose photographs they carried across country. The happy couples get in line before the preacher. Ito coaxes Fifi to convince Buck to join the line to get married.
Cast
- Robert TaylorRobert Taylor (actor)Robert Taylor was an American film and television actor.-Early life:Born Spangler Arlington Brugh in Filley, Nebraska, he was the son of Ruth Adaline and Spangler Andrew Brugh, who was a farmer turned doctor...
as Buck Wyatt - Denise DarcelDenise DarcelDenise Darcel is a retired French actress who made a few films in Hollywood.Born as Denise Billecard in Paris, she was college educated. According to one of her friends who she met in Paris during WWII, she was a passenger in an L-5 Stinson light observation aircraft on VJ Day to see the...
as Fifi Danon - John McIntireJohn McIntireJohn McIntire was an American character actor.-Career:The craggy-faced film actor was born in Spokane in eastern Washington State but reared in Montana, growing up around ranchers and cowboys, an experience that would later inspire his performances in dozens of westerns.A graduate of USC, McIntire...
as Roy E. Whitman - Hope EmersonHope Emerson-Early life:Emerson was born in Hawarden, Iowa. Following her graduation from West High School in Des Moines in 1916, she moved to New York City where she performed in vaudeville.-Career:...
as Patience Hawley - Julie BishopJulie Bishop (actress)Julie Bishop was an American film and television actress. She appeared in over 80 films between 1923 and 1957....
as Laurie Smith - Lenore Lonergan as Maggie O'Malley
- Henry Nakamura as Ito Yoshisuke Takeyoshi Gennosuke Kentaro
- Marilyn ErskineMarilyn ErskineMarilyn Erskine is an American actor who started performing at the age of three on radio, and has since appeared in radio, theater, film and television roles from the 1920s through the 1970s.-Radio career:...
as Jean Johnson - Beverly Dennis as Rose Meyers
- Renata Vanni as Mrs. Maroni
- Pat ConwayPat ConwayPatrick Douglas Conway, known as Pat Conway , was an American actor best known for his role as young but tough Sheriff Clay Hollister on the ABC and then syndicated western television series Tombstone Territory . He was a maternal grandson of silent film star Francis X...
as Sid Cutler
Production
The film was shot on location at Surprise ValleySurprise Valley
Surprise Valley may refer to:*Surprise Valley *Surprise Valley *Surprise Valley, California, former name of Cedarville, California...
, Paria Canyon and Johnson Creek
Johnson Creek
Johnson Creek may refer to many places in the United States, including:* Johnson Creek, Wisconsin, a village in southern Wisconsin* Johnson Creek , a stream in southern Wisconsin...
, Utah, according to Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
.