Ride a Crooked Trail
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Jesse Hibbs
Audie Murphy
Gia Scala
Walter Matthau
Henry Silva
Joanna Moore
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Synopsis
Judge Kyle of Webb City, a tough river town, deals out the law with a personal touch by checking the identity of every newcomer who enters his town. When he gets a tip that a criminal, Joe Maybe, who has unsuccessfully held up a bank in Wascovia, is heading toward Webb City, he identifies his man on sight. However, Maybe was earlier being chased by U.S. Marshal Jim Noonan and when Noonan fell to his death over a canyon, Maybe snatched the marshal's badge, a star with one missing point. As the judge's men check Maybe, he shoots, injuring the judge. At that moment, however, the judge, seeing the famous four-point star, identifies Maybe as Noonan and offers to buy the man a drink, as the badge has belonged to many a marshal renowned for his bravery. The judge eventually persuades Maybe to remain in Webb City as his marshal, even though Maybe, uncomfortable with his assumed identity, is anxious to get away. That day, the riverboat arrives carrying Tessa Milotte, a Creole woman from New Orleans, who knows Maybe and calls him by name. Maybe, quickly covering up, claims to the judge that she said "Baby" and that she is his wife. Maybe tries to convince the judge that his wife has met him so that they can be on their way, but the judge insists that she stay, too, and leads the couple to their new home. Once alone, Tessa says that she has been in business with Sam Teeler, one of Maybe's criminal rivals, and that she has arrived before Teeler to investigate the town's bank, which Teeler plans to rob. Later, at a ceremony commemorating the opening of the railroad into Webb City, the judge asks Maybe to speak, and at that moment, Teeler and his gang ride into town. Following his speech, Maybe goes to see the gang in the saloon, where Teeler reveals that he plans to rob the railway payroll the next day. Maybe suggests that they wait for the big money that will soon come with the cattle drive that is scheduled to pass through Webb City. When the judge appears, a shootout ensues, and Teeler and the gang leave. Teeler later expresses his willingness to go along with Maybe, but half of Teeler's gang decide to rob the bank the next day by themselves. Jimmy, an orphan boy who lived with the judge until the town's women encouraged him to move in with Maybe and Tessa, tells Maybe that the gang is back and that they are robbing the bank. Maybe rushes to the scene and, after a gunfight, chases off the outlaws. Later, a distraught Jimmy runs away from Maybe and Tessa's house, and Maybe finds him doing his homework at the judge's shanty boat. The two talk, and Maybe tells Jimmy about his own troubled childhood. Jimmy decides to return to his "family," and then accompanies Maybe to help bring in the trail herd. When they arrive at the cattle trail, they see Teeler and his men, who are posing as cowboys in preparation for the big robbery. During a stampede, Jimmy is injured but is saved from sure death by Maybe. While Maybe goes for a doctor, Jimmy warns Tessa that the judge is suspicious of Maybe. Teeler then shows up at Tessa's and, after trying to kiss her, tells her that he is going to rob the bank and frame Maybe. That night, Tessa entertains Maybe and the judge, insisting that they keep drinking and then takes them to the saloon for a dance, so that Maybe will have an alibi. Just then, they hear dynamite, and realize that Teeler is robbing the bank. Maybe blames Tessa, and the judge challenges Maybe to a quick draw, without revealing that he has another man covering him. From the window at Tessa and Maybe's neighboring house, Jimmy shoots out a chandelier so that Maybe can get away, and then informs Maybe that Teeler fled on the cattle trail. Maybe finds Teeler, and the two men fight it out. The next morning, Tessa prepares to leave on the river boat, and the judge rides back into town not having found Maybe. Just then Maybe arrives with Teeler tied up and returns the stolen money. The couple prepare to board the boat, but before they can depart, the judge pins the marshal badge for real on Maybe's shirt. The judge then demands that the couple arrive in his chambers the next morning at nine o'clock so that he can make their union legal.
Director
Jesse Hibbs
Cast
Audie Murphy
Gia Scala
Walter Matthau
Henry Silva
Joanna Moore
Eddie Little
Mary Field
Leo Gordon
Mort Mills
Frank Chase
Bill Walker
Ned Wever
Richard H. Cutting
Crew
Gene Anderson
George Bruce
Leslie I. Carey
Borden Chase
Edward Curtiss
Ray Decamp
Russell A. Gausman
Joseph Gershenson
Alexander Golitzen
Harold Goodwin
William Holland
Ray Jeffers
Virginia Jones
Lou Leary
Harold Lipstein
Donald Mckay
Bill Newberry
Howard Pine
Bill Thomas
Bud Westmore
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Ride a Crooked Trail
Ride a Crooked Trail is a typical, if above average, vehicle for Audie Murphy, the distinguished World War II hero who famously made it in Hollywood after his personal story caught the interest of actor James Cagney. Even having the distinction of being the most decorated soldier in American history, however, couldn't calm Murphy's nerves when it came to kissing his lovely co-star, Gia Scala. Murphy was apprehensive because he and Scala had never met prior to the film shoot. Looking at the pair's chemistry onscreen, however, it's clear that they managed to find some common ground.
While you would never know it watching Gia Scala's performance, the actress was going through a difficult time in her personal life at the time. In the middle of filming, she learned that her mother, with whom she was very close, was dying of cancer and had only three months to live. A distraught Gia was arrested the day after she learned the news when she was involved in a minor car accident caused by her drinking. It was the first of several drunk driving incidents for Gia throughout her life. It also marked the beginning of a very dark period for the troubled Gia, who was depressed enough to attempt suicide on more than one occasion. Never getting over her mother's death, she succeeded in taking her own life on April 30, 1972 when she died at the age of 38 from an overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol.
Walter Matthau, in one of his early film roles, makes the most of his character part as the tough, hard-drinking Judge Kyle. He would follow this with a major role in the WWII service comedy, Onionhead (1958), which proved he was even better suited for comedic parts. Henry Silva, a later "Rat Pack" buddy of Frank Sinatra, also appears in the role of Teeler; Silva, with his exotic looks and Puerto Rican heritage, was often cast in various ethnic parts throughout his career, playing everything from an Amazon Indian warrior (Green Mansions [1959]) to a Korean spy (The Manchurian Candidate [1962]).
Ride a Crooked Trail was one of nearly two dozen westerns Audie Murphy made for Universal. Shot mostly on the Universal backlot, the film also features some striking location scenery shot at the Janss Conejo Ranch in Thousand Oaks, California. It was also used in such classics as Wuthering Heights (1939) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).
Producer: Howard Pine
Director: Jesse Hibbs
Screenplay: George Bruce (story), Borden Chase
Cinematography: Harold Lipstein
Film Editing: Edward Curtiss
Art Direction: Alexander Golitzen, Bill Newberry
Music: Henry Mancini
Cast: Audie Murphy (Joe Maybe), Gia Scala (Tessa Milotte), Walter Matthau (Judge Kyle), Henry Silva (Teeler), Joanna Cook Moore (Little Brandy), Eddie Little (Jimmy).
C-87m. Letterboxed.
by Andrea Passafiume
Ride a Crooked Trail
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The film's working title was Middle of the Street. Although the ethnicity of Gia Scala's character "Tessa Milotte" is not stated in the film, it is implied that she is Creole. The Hollywood Reporter review notes that the story that character "Joe Maybe" relates about his rough childhood was inspired by the actual childhood of Billy the Kid. Hollywood Reporter adds that the river town setting of Ride a Crooked Trail is historically accurate as most "trail drives" prior the Civil War headed for New Orleans, Shreveport and St. Louis, but that most Westerns tend to forget this fact. The reviewer speculates that the unnamed river is probably the Mississippi or Red River. 1957 Hollywood Reporter production charts and news items add Morgan Woodward, H. Tommy Hart and Vincent Perry to the cast, but their participation in the final film has not been confirmed.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States September 1958
Released in United States Winter January 1, 1958
CinemaScope
Released in United States Winter January 1, 1958
Released in United States September 1958