The Girl of the Golden West
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Cecil B. Demille
Mabel Van Buren
Theodore Roberts
House Peters
Anita King
Sydney Deane
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In the gold rush days of '49, an orphaned saloonkeeper in the California mining town of Cloudy, likes big-hearted sheriff Jack Rance, formerly a New Orleans gambler, better than any of her many suitors. After Ramerrez, the notorious head of a Mexican outlaw band, who really is a city-bred man named Johnson, is slightly wounded while robbing a stage, the Girl rides by and binds his wound with her bonnet string. Later, Ramerrez refrains from robbing her saloon, where she keeps the miners' gold hidden, when he learns that she is the owner. After she dissuades Rance from arresting him, Ramerrez accepts her invitation to supper and spends the night in her cabin because of a blizzard. The next morning, Rance shoots Ramerrez when he leaves. After the Girl offers to play cards with Rance for Ramerrez' freedom, with the understanding that if she loses, Rance will win her, she wins by cheating and nurses Ramerrez to health. He is later captured and about to be hanged when the Girl tells the townsfolk of the card game and wins his freedom. Rance becomes a drunkard and the Girl leaves town with Ramerrez to begin a new life.
Director
Cecil B. Demille
Cast
Mabel Van Buren
Theodore Roberts
House Peters
Anita King
Sydney Deane
Billy Elmer
Jeane Mcpherson
Raymond Hatton
Dick Le Strange
Tex Driscol
Art Ortego
John Ortego
James Griswold
Ed Harley
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Blanche Bates and Frank Keenan starred in the stage production. Much of the film was shot at the then-new Lasky ranch. DeMille wrote in his autobiography that the film was shot in eight days, and that some filming was done near Mt. Palomar in San Diego County. According to modern sources, DeMille was the film editor, as well as the director. The film was re-released by the Famous Players-Lasky Corp. in their Success Series on September 15, 1918. Giacomo Puccini composed an opera based on the play, entitled La Fanciulla Del West, with libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, which premiered on December 10, 1910 in New York. Associated First National Pictures released a film with the same title from the same source on May 3, 1923. Edwin Carewe directed, and Sylvia Breamer, J. Warren Kerrigan and Russell Simpson starred in it (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.2098). First National Pictures released a sound film with the same title from the same source on October 12, 1930, directed by John Francis Dillon and starring Ann Harding, James Rennie and Harry Bannister (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.2099). M-G-M released an operetta with the same title from the same source in March 1938, directed by Robert Z. Leonard, and starring Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy and Walter Pidgeon.
