Copper Canyon
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
John Farrow
Ray Milland
Hedy Lamarr
Macdonald Carey
Mona Freeman
Harry Carey Jr.
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Shortly after the Civil War, out West, suave vaudevillian Johnny Carter is displaying his sharpshooting skills during one of his shows, when he is spotted by former Confederate soldiers Bill Newton, Jeb Bassett and Scamper, who believe that Johnny is actually a Confederate colonel named Desmond. The veterans ask his help in defending them against discrimination in Coppertown, where they stand to lose their mining claims because they are Southerners. Johnny denies that he is Desmond and refuses to help. Meanwhile, Coppertown marshal Lane Travis and his deputy, Bat Laverne, are paid by an Eastern syndicate to run roughshod over the Southerners and prevent them from gaining a foothold in the copper mines. As a result, mine owner Moss Balfour refuses to hire any Southerner or smelt any ore belonging to a "Reb." Balfour's stance hurts mine owner Theodosius Roberts, because he is forced to send his ore out to be smelted and his wagon trains are always attacked. Roberts, who is Desmond's brother-in-law, receives a visit from Cavalry Lt. Ord, who is seeking Desmond for escaping from a Union prison with $20,000. Desmond's daughter Caroline, a war widow, defends Desmond although she has never met him, and strongly rebuffs Ord's attempt at kindness. Johnny, meanwhile, joins a vaudeville show which performs in Coppertown, and secretly works on behalf of his fellow plighted Southerners. Upon discovering that saloon hostess Lisa Roselle is involved in the plot against the Southerners, Johnny purposely pits himself against Travis as his rival for Lisa's affection. Jeb's outspokenness against Travis and Balfour leads to his murder, as well as his sons's, and there are no recriminations against Travis. Despite the violence, Roberts refuses to join the other frightened Southerners leaving Coppertown, and accepts Johnny's help in planning a safe route for his ore wagons. On the chosen night, Travis orders Lisa to distract Johnny, but he manages to ride out in time to protect the ore train and thwart Travis' ambush. Lisa, who has fallen in love with Johnny, lies to protect him from Travis, but Johnny still distrusts her. Lisa then breaks her contract with the Eastern syndicate, which is run by a man named Henderson, as a protest against Travis' brutality. Although Roberts' ore train successfully reaches the smelter, they are robbed of the proceeds and Johnny is framed for the crime. Ord and Caroline, who have fallen in love, beseech Johnny to admit he is Desmond and give himself up to the federal warrant so that Travis will not kill him, but Johnny refuses and implies that the money Desmond "stole" originally belonged to him. After his arrest, Johnny sends for Balfour from his jail cell, and using a quote from Abraham Lincoln, convinces him that discrimination is morally wrong. Travis' brutal murder of Balfour shortly after causes the remaining Southerners to panic, and they begin to sell their claims to Henderson. Freed from jail by Lisa, Johnny shreds the deeds and goes after Travis, who has fled with his gang. Johnny's military training proves invaluable as he directs two troops of volunteers to hunt down Travis' gang. Johnny is forced to kill Travis during a lengthy gunfight, after which the volunteers arrest the outlaws. Peace is restored to Coppertown, and after Caroline and Ord announce their engagement, Johnny and Lisa leave together for San Francisco.
Director
John Farrow
Cast
Ray Milland
Hedy Lamarr
Macdonald Carey
Mona Freeman
Harry Carey Jr.
Frank Faylen
Hope Emerson
Taylor Holmes
Peggy Knudsen
James Burke
Percy Helton
Philip Van Zandt
Francis Pierlot
Erno Verebes
Paul Lees
Robert Watson
Georgia Backus
Ian Wolfe
Bob Kortman
Nina Mae Mckinney
Betty Hannon
Joanne Linville
Dorothy Abbott
Mary Brewer
Marguerite Campbell
Marion Colby
Maxine Gates
John Sheehan
Bill Steele
Buddy Roosevelt
Jacqueline Park
Julia Faye
Joe Whitehead
Blayney Lewis
Ann Cavendish
Roscoe Behan
Henry Guttman
Harry Cording
William Haade
Earle Hodgins
Robert Stephenson
Raymond Bond
Harry Templeton
John Sheehan
Len Hendry
Stanley Andrews
Ethan Laidlaw
Russell Kaplan
John Marchek
Johnny Michaels
Geraldine E. Jordan
Geraldine Farnum
Alyn Lockwood
Dorothy Barrett
Jeanne Roberts
Sally Yarnell
Alan Dinehart Iii
John Trebach
Les Gotcher
Carl Myles
Erville Alderson
Trevor Bardette
Rex Lease
Frank Cordell
James Cornell
John Sheehan
Ray Bennett
Don House
Lester Dorr
Stuart Holmes
Frank Hagney
Jimmie Dundee
Herman Nowlin
Kit Guard
Gerry Ganzer
Pat Lane
William Hamel
Connie Montoya
Hank Bell
Crew
Daniele Amfitheatrof
Franz Bachelin
Guy Bennett
Monroe W. Burbank
Herbert Coleman
Sam Comer
Ed Crowder
Frances Dawson
Ross Dowd
Hans Dreier
Pat Drew
Josephine Earl
Phil Eastman
Richard English
Mel Epstein
Ray Evans
John Farrow
Gene Garvin
John Hamilton
Edith Head
Jack Koffman
Charles B. Lang Jr.
Jonathan Latimer
Harold Lewis
Harold Lierly
Jay Livingston
Harry Mendoza
James Miller
Charles Morton
Karl Silvera
Gile Steele
Eda Warren
Lenore Weaver
Wally Westmore
Charles Woolstenhulme
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, Paramount postponed the release of this film to coincide with the release of the song "Copper Canyon." Some scenes were shot on location near Flagstaff, AZ, and at Vasquez Rocks in Chatsworth, CA.
