The Plunderers
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Joseph Pevney
Jeff Chandler
John Saxon
Dolores Hart
Marsha Hunt
Jay C. Flippen
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Four young cowboys, Rondo, Jeb Lucas Tyler, Mule and Davy, ride into the small town of Trail City. The cowboys are unable to pay for their drinks at Mike Baron's saloon, so Sheriff Tom McCauley jails them for the night after they state that they will be moving on the next morning. The next day, rancher Sam Christie, a Civil War hero with a paralyzed right arm, is buying supplies in Jess Walters' general store when the young men come in and ask Jess's daughter Ellie to serve them. Once again, they refuse to pay for their purchases, but Sam chooses not to get involved. The youngsters continue their bullying tactics by taking two rooms at Kate Miller's hotel without paying. When Baron, Walters and Miller ask Sam to join them in insisting that McCauley act against the intruders, he refuses, saying that he has to return to his ranch. McCauley's attempt to force the men to leave fails, and Kate goes to see Sam to appeal again for his help, as they have been longtime friends. Kate asks him to stand up to the young men, but he has had his fill of fighting, and when he refuses, she accuses him of being afraid. Meanwhile, the cowboys have returned to Baron's saloon and are intimidating him and his customers. When Baron tells them to leave, Mule, the biggest of the gang, beats him up. Later, Rondo, a Mexican, tells Ellie that he had nothing to do with the beating and kisses her, but she does not respond. When McCauley is forced to face the hoodlums, Jeb shoots and kills him, but Davy is disturbed by this turn of events. Sam informs Walters, Baron and Doc Fuller that he is going back to his ranch for his gun, and asks them to round up volunteers. However, Abilene, the town drunk, tips off the gang and they are waiting for Sam at his ranch. After Mule badly beats Sam, they take his horses and wagon and return to town. Ellie rides out to Sam's, helps him clean himself up and tells him that there is some response to his appeal for volunteers. Sam, however, feels that only a few will want to follow him, "half a man." Ellie kisses and embraces him, prompting him to return to the fray. Meanwhile, Davy tells Rondo that he wants to leave and asks him to go with him. In a stable, Sam tells the assembled volunteers that Rondo is the most dangerous of the group. When Davy comes to collect his horse, he draws his gun on Sam and the volunteers, saying that he does not want to kill any of them, then drops the gun and weeps. Rondo then surprises Ellie at her home and attacks her, but she claws him and escapes. When Sam captures Rondo, the other citizens want to hang him but Sam dissuades them. Ellie sees Rondo pull out a knife and head toward Sam's back, and shoots and kills him. After Jeb and Mule retreat to the saloon, Sam challenges Mule to come out and faces him armed with Rondo's knife. They fight and Mule dies when he falls on the knife. Jeb, panicked, tries to escape but Sam shoots and kills him. Sam tells Davy to get his horse and leave, then he and Ellie reunite.
Director
Joseph Pevney
Cast
Jeff Chandler
John Saxon
Dolores Hart
Marsha Hunt
Jay C. Flippen
Ray Stricklyn
James Westerfield
Dee Pollock
Roger Torrey
Vaughn Taylor
Harvey Stephens
Joseph Hamilton
Ken Patterson
William Challee
Ray Ferrell
Ella Ethridge
Crew
Bob Barbash
Bob Barbash
Virginia Barth
Kenny Bell
Arthur Broidy
John Bury
Ralph Butler
Jeff Chandler
Leon Charles
Scott R. Dunlap
Richard C. Harris
Ellya Jacobus
Michael P. Joyce
Joe Kish
Emile Lavigne
Fred Mandl
Bob Mark
Tom Mcadoo
David Milton
Sid Mintz
Alice Monte
Edward Morey Jr.
Ted Mossman
Milt Olsen
Joseph Pevney
Eugene Polito
Jess Rand
Leonard Rosenman
Robert Saunders
Charles Schelling
Bruce Schoengarth
Norah Sharpe
Bob Simpson
Roger J. Weinberg
James West
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
August Productions was a company set up by Jeff Chandler, Jess Rand and Bob Barbash; The Plunderers was its first and only film. May and June 1960 Hollywood Reporter news items add Maxine Doviate, Dixie Carson, Buck Bailey, Bert Hicks, Beth Belden, Clint Sharp, Buck Bucko, Richard Johnstone, Henry Isabell, John Barton, Jenny May Ellis, Charles Morton and Fred Weller to the cast, but their appearance in the film has not been confirmed. According to Hollywood Reporter news items, portions of the film were shot on location in Topanga Canyon, CA. Although a July 1960 Hollywood Reporter news item stated that Sam Cooke would write and record a theme song for the film, no theme song was heard in the viewed print. The song May have been used for exploitation purposes only.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1960
Released in United States 1960
