a5c7b9f00b The life of nineteenth-century pioneer Jim Bowie is portrayed. In 1825, Jim Bowie travels to New Orleans to sell the output from the sawmill he runs with his brothers. He soon meets the beautiful Judalon de Bornay who seems to have most men wrapped around her little finger. She clearly likes him but when he tells her he&#39;s leaving, she manipulates one of her beaus into challenging him for a duel. Bowie survives the confrontation but devises a plan to sell the not only his lumber but also the family mill and invest it in land. Within a couple of years, the Bowie brothers are quite rich and Jim meets Judalon again - only this time she is married. It doesn&#39;t stop her from manipulating those around her. Jim&#39;s business interests lead to a bloody duel where several people are killed and a confrontation with local saloon owner and crook Black Jack Sturdevant. After Sturdevant tries to kill him on the trail, Bowie is rescued by a beautiful Mexican woman and decides to make his home in Texas. Western adventure with Jim Bowie (Alan Ladd) a man with his name on a knife and two women (Virginia Mayo , Phyllis Kirk) with a weapon all their own . This is a mini-biography of the life of Jim Bowie in which he faces off bloody duels . It starts In 1825, Jim Bowie travels to New Orleans to sell the lumber output from the sawmill he runs with his brothers . He soon meets the gorgeouswellmanipulating Judalon De Bornay (Virginia Mayo) and falls in love for her . Jim attempts to wed Jedualon , but the woman has wed playboy Phillipe (Alf Kjellin) . Jim&#39;s business interests lead to violent fights where a lot of people are killed and there takes place a struggle with local saloon owner and nasty Black Jack (Anthony Caruso) . Then , Bowie is rescued by an attractive Mexican girl (Phyllis Kirk) , the daughter of the Vice-Governor of San Antonio . <br/><br/>Barely historical presentation about the mythic character , Jim Bowie , who invented the famed frontier knife . This colorfulwellspotty picture contains action , thrills , soap opera , knife-fights , luxurious balls and results to be entertaining ; however , being also mediocre . Slightly interesting screenplay by James R. Webb , Western usual , being based on a novel by Paul Wellman . Passable acting by the main starring Alan Ladd , and gorgeous Virginia Mayo who subsequently reprised her film role in Lux Radio Theater broadcast , a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie. Support cast is frankly well , suchJoseph CalleiaJuan Moreno , Phyllis KirkUrsula De Varamendi , Alf KjellinPhillipe De Cabanal , Douglas DickNarcisse de Bornay and special mention to Anthony Caruso playingcrook Black Jack . Atmospheric and thrilling musical score by the classic composer Max Steiner . Colorfulwellevocative cinematography by John F. Seitz , filmed on location in New Orleans and surrounds . <br/><br/>The motion picture lavishly produced by Henry Blanke was regularly directed by Gordon Douglas . He was an expert on adventure genre¨Black arrow¨ , ¨Fortunes of Captain Blood¨ , both starred by Louis Hayward and Western ,he proved in the films starred by Clint Walker such¨Fort Dobbs¨, ¨Yellowstone Kelly¨ , ¨Gold of seven Saints¨ , Gregory Peck¨Only the valiant¨ , ¨Chuka¨ with Rod Taylor , ¨Rio Conchos¨ starred by Richard Boone , being considered his best Western , and about bandits legendary¨Doolins of Oklahoma¨ , ¨Great Missouri raid¨, among others .<br/><br/>The real events about James Bowie&#39;s life are the followings : Texas hero and knife-fighter whose name was made world famous by the type of broad-bladed knife he used and is said to have originated . Born in Georgia , he made money by selling black slaves before going Texas , where he settle in San Antonio , legend tells us he searched for and found the lost Spanish silver mine in the San Saba region . In 1830, he became a Mexican citizen married the daughter of the Vice-Governor of San Antonio and became a wealthy landowner . He lost his wife and children in a cholera epidemic . When the Texans rebelled against Spanish rule he joined the rebels and was made captain , engaging in several victories over Mexicans . With the rank of colonel he held joint command of The Alamo fortress with Colonel Travis until stricken down with fever , he died fighting , from his sickbed , with the rest of the garrison while defending the Alamo against an overwhelming Mexican army . Bowie made his reputationa formidable knife-fighter in a number of duels , but it is not clear if he or his brother , actually designed the original Bowie Knife . I&#39;ve never really been a fan of westerns, I didn&#39;t grow up with them and I always thought the genre was overrated personally.<br/><br/>Occasionally however a film comes along which has distinct appeal despite its genre, this is such a film. I&#39;m not 100% sure why I liked it or why it stood out from the pack, there is a certain intangible aspect to it which really appeals; the closest thing that I can think of is `The Mountain&#39; (1956, Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner), it is a film which I believe has that same intangible quality.<br/><br/>I&#39;d recommend this one for both western fan and non western fan (like myself) alike.
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372 weeks ago