Colt .45 (1950) User Reviews (34)

"White men crazy."

[classicsoncall · 5/10 · 15 May 2005]

In "Colt .45", Randolph Scott portrays military hero turned sales representative Steve Farrell who's employed by the Colt Firearm Company, a theme that will be picked up by the late 1950's classic TV Western of the same name. His nemesis in the film, Jason Brett (Zachary Scott) is a clever outlaw who manages to trick the local populace into believing that Farrell is the leader of the Colt .45 Gang, so named because of the crimes committed with a set of Farrell's own stolen handguns. The film hosts some rather big names, but somewhat fails to satisfy in it's uneven delivery and sometimes sloppy, and in at least one instance, comical editing.

As Farrell pursues Brett's gang in an attempt to clear his name, he befriends Indian Chief Walking Bear (Chief Thundercloud), who now allies himself with Farrell, which is fortunate, as the Chief's tribe manages to show up just in the nick of time on a number of occasions to save Farrell's hide.

Brett's gang includes Paul and Beth Donovan (Lloyd Bridges and Ruth Roman), but motivations and alliances change rather quickly in the film. Paul only plans to remain an outlaw until his big score, while Beth suffers pangs of conscience and decides she'll come clean. It won't help to seek aid from Sheriff Harris (Alan Hale), as he's one of the bad guys. Paul shoots Beth, but she's nursed back to health rather miraculously by an Indian squaw. In turn, Brett shoots Paul, who fancies himself an equal partner in the outlaw business.

For his part, Steve Farrell takes his share of lumps in the film, getting framed by Brett more than once, getting knocked out with his own gun at the hand of Mrs. Donovan, and falling for the old rope across the trail trick. Perhaps he would have fared better if he hadn't changed into the all black outfit a third of the way through the movie.

At one point, as Sheriff Harris' posse closes in on Farrell, the sheriff takes an arrow to the chest and goes down hard. So it seems rather odd that he makes it back into town just about as quick as Farrell and Walking Bear who are about to square off against the bad guys.

Pay close attention as Farrell and Walking Bear lay in ambush behind a building for Brett's henchmen to walk by. As the last gang member walks past, Walking Bear lunges at his neck with both outstretched hands. All of a sudden, a rope appears ???, and the Indian proceeds to bring him down to the ground. I had to rewind and play the scene three times to believe what I was seeing.

Having seen only a few of Randolph Scott's Westerns, I'm convinced this cannot be one of his better ones. "Ten Wanted Men", "The Stranger Wore a Gun", and "The Bounty Hunter" each appealed to me more, and even these are not among his best works.

Chief Thundercloud cuts an imposing figure as Walking Bear, but he comes across as stiff and not as effective as you would expect a tribal leader to be. By 1950, he was nearing the end of his film career; my first introduction to the Chief was his rather fine portrayal of Tonto in the first two Lone Ranger serials of 1938 and 1939 (The Lone Ranger, and The Lone Ranger Rides Again). Trivia fans will either be surprised or disappointed to know that Thundercloud's real name was Victor Daniels.

Fast Paced Little Western!

[bsmith5552 · 6/10 · 23 November 2006]

"Colt 45" was one of series of fast paced little westerns that Randolph Scott turned out during the 1950s.

This one is centered around the introduction of the Colt 45 six shooter to the old west. Steve Farrell (Randolph Scott) is a Colt 45 salesman in the town of Red Rock pitching his wares to the local sheriff (Charles Evans). His prisoner, Jason Brett (Zachary Scott) escapes as he is being moved, steals Farrell's two colts and kills the sheriff. He implicates Farrell in the escape and the towns people arrest him for the murder of the sheriff.

Meanwhile Brett and his gang have embarked on a campaign of robbery and murder with the colts as the center piece of the crimes. After four months, Farrell is finally cleared and released by the new sheriff (Stanley Andrews). Farrell just happens to have a second set of Colt 45s and sets out to catch Brett.

Farrell comes upon a stagecoach holdup by Brett and his gang and boards the coach. Inside he finds Beth Donovan (Ruth Roman) the wife of the ambitious but spineless Paul Donovan (Lloyd Bridges) who is a member of Brett's gang. She is helping the gang in fear for her husband's life. Farrell with both guns a blazing foils the hold up attempt and takes the coach into the town of Bonanza.

Farrell meets the town sheriff Harris (Alan Hale Sr.) who appoints him as a deputy. Harris it turns out is in with the gang and goes to Brett to plot Farrell's downfall. At the persistent urging of Donovan (and amid the protests of Beth), Brett decides to take over the town. Brett cleverly fingers Farrell as the leader of the Colt 45 gang diverting suspicion from himself. Farrell manages to escape and Harris forms a posse to bring him in. With the help of Chief Walking Bear (Chief Thundercloud) Farrell plans his revenge on Brett. Meantime Brett takes over the town and................

Randolph Scott found a second career in these little 80 minute westerns appearing in them exclusively from about 1946 to the end of his career. As he aged some thought he began to resemble silent screen great William S. Hart and that the age lines added character to his face.

For Alan Hale Sr. the great character actor of the 30s and 40s, this was his second to last film. Zachary Scott plays the villain as a slightly mad ever dangerous cold blooded killer. Ruth Roman was a little young at the time to be taken seriously as a love interest for Randolph Scott. Lloyd Bridges is good as the cowardly Donovan. Chief Thundercloud (who's real name was Victor Daniels) is best remembered for playing "Tonto" in the Lone Ranger serials and "Geronimo" in the film of the same name. Also in the cast are Ian MacDonald as Miller and Hal Talliaferro as a stagecoach driver.

This good Western is rapidly and efficiently filmed by Edwin L. Marin

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 21 March 2010]

Highly watchable Western about confronting between robbers and a hero incarnated by Randolph Scott.The film is set in post- Civil War, at Red Rock ,the pattern of the other celebrated cow towns of the Old west . Randolph Scott is Steve Farrel a gun salesman wielding some Colts gifted by Samuel Colt , when he's reunited with the sheriff there takes place escape of Brett. Then Steve is wrongly accused of accomplice , after that he's freed and seeks revenge. Brett is wanted by 5.000 dollars of reward for information leading the leader of 45's gang. Later on , Farrell is appointed deputy, he along with Sheriff Alan Hale are fighting to stifle the conflicts among the bandits led by Zachary Scott and his gunfighter hoodlums as Lloyd Bridges, among others. Farrell is only helped by an Indian chief named Walking Bear played by Chief Thundercloud.

The picture gets action Western,shootouts, thrills, and is quite entertaining. It's a medium budget movie with good actors,technicians, production values and pleasing results. Fine Western in which the gang of the 45's colt raid stagecoach and pacific people ,robberies in post-civil war .Stylish,fast paced,solid ,meticulous and a violent look with numerous shootém up.Randolph Scott leaving times ago the secondaries roles as when he was still playing supporting roles in top films as ¨Jesse James¨(Henry King), ¨Virginia city¨(Michael Curtiz) and ¨the spoilers'(Ray Enright).Scott also played an famed outlaw in ¨Doolins of Oklahoma¨(Gordon Douglas).The support cast make equally notable performances. The film is shot in California State as is reflected on the colorful cinematography by cameraman Wilfred Cline.Nice storyline by Thomas Blackburn, usual and notable Western's screenwriter. The film is well directed and it will appeal to Western lovers and Randolph Scott fans .

This motion picture is realized with sure visual eye by Edwin L. Marin. He made a variety films of all genres, though especially Westerns,the best are starred by Scott,all well screen-written(Abilene,Canadian Pacific,Cariboo trail,Fighting man of the plains).In fact his last films were Westerns until his early death at 52 .

Below-average Randolph Scott western

[BrianDanaCamp · 10 April 2003]

In the 1950s, Randolph Scott made a number of westerns at Warner Bros., ranging from the sublime (Andre De Toth's CARSON CITY) to the ridiculous (this one). COLT .45 (1950) has got a number of things wrong with it, including ludicrous plotting, but is at least fast-paced, well-cast and dotted with frequent bursts of violence and gunplay. The screenwriter seems to have bent over backwards to tie a standard lawman-vs.-stage robbers tale to the Colt .45 revolver which is apparently being introduced to the west at the time this film takes place. The plot has to do with an outlaw's theft of a pair of the title six-shooters and the robbery-and-killing spree that results. The owner of the guns, Steve Farrell (Randolph Scott), a salesman for the Colt company, takes off after the villain with a second pair of the six-guns. At various points during the action, Farrell is accused of complicity with Brett (Zachary Scott), the robber he's pursuing.

Zachary Scott makes a suitably snarling, mustachioed villain in a performance seemingly fueled by ample infusions of "fire water" consumed between set-ups. Ruth Roman makes a spunky and attractive heroine as the wife of a miner (Lloyd Bridges) who's in cahoots with Zachary. Alan Hale (Sr.) plays a corrupt sheriff also working with Zachary.

The most interesting thing about this western is the inclusion of a tribe of Indians who pop up at convenient moments to help hero Farrell. Given the pervasiveness of corrupt whites in Bonanza Creek, the backlot town where the film takes place, the Indians prove to be Farrell's only dependable allies. The chief is played by respected Indian actor Chief Thundercloud, who adds virtually the only note of historical authenticity to the entire film. At one point, one of the Indian women supplies heroine Roman with a very fashionable white buckskin jacket that she sports for the rest of the film.

The film is set during the James K. Polk administration immediately after the Mexican War, placing the action sometime in the 1840s. Given that photography was a brand-new (and quite time-consuming) technology back then, it's anachronistically amusing to see posters featuring a black-and-white head shot of Randolph Scott distributed to peace officers in the film.

Shot in color, COLT .45 is a relatively low-budget affair with shooting restricted to the Warner Bros. backlot and nearby studio ranches.

Worthwhile B western

[Panamint · 7/10 · 9 November 2013]

Yes its just a routine B western. But its above average and worth your viewing time.

The villain is a rotten creep as portrayed by Zachary Scott. Randolph Scott is of course stalwart and solid in the lead role. Lloyd Bridges provides solid support.

But I really like this film because Ruth Roman is not your typical pretty b-western actress here. She is tough, forceful, physical and believable as well as very beautiful. She really pops in Technicolor wearing that fringe buckskin. Absolutely gorgeous and she out-acts every male in the movie.

The immortal Stanley Andrews, the stentorian-voiced ultimate Sheriff of all Western movies and later TV's Death Valley Days, contributes his dignified screen presence.

This film is a triumph of great casting over what could otherwise be routine.

Pour yourself some backbone and SHUT UP!

[Hey_Sweden · 6/10 · 3 January 2017]

Randolph Scott, as jut jawed and heroic as he's ever been, is gun salesman Steve Farrell. One day, in a prison, he's showing off his pride and joy, and sadly this will assist outlaw Jason Brett (Zachary Scott) in a jailbreak. Wrongfully locked up when it's assumed that he must have been an accomplice, Steve is soon released, and sets out to bring the bad guy down. Brett, of course, is having the time of his life utilizing Steves' prized Colt .45s.

This is an okay, routine Western. It does benefit from some good action scenes, and the cast makes the most of the situation. The very pretty Ruth Roman is engaging in an under written role as Beth Donovan, the wife of Paul Donovan (Lloyd Bridges), one of Bretts' cohorts. Randolph Scott doesn't have to stretch himself at all, but he's in good form, while Zachary Scott commands a great deal of the attention as the thoroughly nasty, overconfident villain who feels emboldened by his new weapons. Bridges is fine as the weaselly Paul, who's not as degenerate as Brett, but is absolutely no rose, either. Alan Hale provides a rock steady presence as the morally compromised Sheriff Harris (this, unfortunately, was one of his final roles, as he died later the same year). Ian MacDonald, who later gained his greatest fame as the gang leader Miller in "High Noon", is also playing a character named Miller here. And Indian actor Chief Thundercloud is able to play his proud character Walking Bear with some dignity.

Direction (by Edwin L. Marin), production design, cinematography, and music are all handled capably, making this decent entertainment for 74 minutes.

Six out of 10.

Okay Studio B-Picture

[FightingWesterner · 7/10 · 23 August 2009]

Randolph Scott is a salesman for Colt Firearms traveling the west demonstrating his company's newest invention, the .45 revolver to law enforcement. At a police station a slimy weasel of a man makes off with his demonstration models and goes on a robbery and killing spree, aided by the superiority of the revolver to the average one shot pistols. Scott sets out to clear his name and retrieve his guns.

Like all studio backed B-pictures, this looks good and is technically well made with good action sequences but with a somewhat forgettable script.

However, this has some novelty as probably the only fifties western where all the lawmen are portrayed as crooked villains and/or stubborn dummies while the Indians are the good guys, saving the hero's bacon on more than one occasion!

I particularly enjoyed the lighting and Technicolor in this.

"Law And Order In Six Finger Doses"

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 21 June 2010]

The Colt.45 is what Randolph Scott is selling, the latest item in weaponry. While selling a pair to a sheriff who's ordered them, prisoner Zachary Scott breaks free and kills the sheriff and steals the weapons Randy was about to sell. After convincing the townsfolk that he wasn't in on the jailbreak and the killing of their sheriff, Randy takes his display models and goes after Zach.

This is an average B western from Warner Brothers and it really turns on the character that Zachary Scott is playing. Zach is a really loathsome punk, but a clever one who realizes that until these weapons come into widespread use, those that possess them can be king of the mountain. He also thinks fast on his feet and avoids capture and turns the tables on Randy on more than one occasion.

Colt.45 coming out at the time that Broken Arrow and Devil's Doorway were running benefited from those far better westerns in terms of influence. Part of Zach's scheme is to frame some innocent Indians for a stagecoach robbery that Randy foils. Because of that Randy makes friends with Chief Thundercloud and his whole tribe. Colt.45 takes its place in the history of the big screen western with a more sympathetic attitude towards Indians.

Scott's leading lady is Ruth Roman who is certainly pretty and capable, but her part is rather ill defined. She's the wife of one of Zach's henchmen Lloyd Bridges another real punk, but not as clever. She switches loyalties, but really doesn't help much.

In the cast in one of his last roles for Warner Brothers where he was a contract player for about 15 years and almost exclusively appeared in films for that studio is Alan Hale. He plays another sheriff, a corrupt one.

Colt.45 is a fast paced, but badly edited film, still fans of both Scotts, Randolph and Zachary should like it.

Western cheese and there's no denying it..

[Xjayhawker · 5/10 · 15 April 2013]

I am a big Randolph Scott fan..I really am..and Ruth Roman has always been good eye candy..but I cannot give my support to such a contrived plot..Zachary Scott plays a cowardly gang leader..he stands petrified when the guns are turned on him..he's big man with a pair of colts in his hands..but there is a terrified look in his eyes without them..and I'm not sure why Zachary ever made it in the movies ..he has the weakest chin in town..Alan Hale who played so well off of Errol Flynn is mis-cast as a crooked town sheriff..Randy may be mis-cast as well as a clueless hero who falls for every trick in the book..dirt thrown in your face..hit over the head by a girl..rope across the dark country road..the fight at the end is bogus..it is just a rather lame western..I wish it was better cast and better directed..the action was fairly well staged..but uneven..I also must add that Lloyd Bridges plays an over-the-top ??partner?? In crime with Zachary Scott..he actually believes he's an equal partner in this enterprise..Ruth Roman can't decide where her loyalties lie..but Alan Hale as well as all the townsfolk are just pathetic..there's supposed to be a lot of gold being mined..but I never see miners..just town people..just set dressing..the Indians? stereotypes and not done well..the tepees? Store bought canvas creations..again set decorations..it is watchable..barely so..but you may chuckle a few times inadvertently..like laughing on the inside and crying on the outside..this is a disappointment..enough said..5 out of 10..being generous..

Worth watching because of Randolph Scott

[Captain_Augustus_McCrae · 7/10 · 30 June 2010]

I have one major problem with this film. Set in the late 1840's or early 1850s, it highlights the introduction of the "Colt .45 revolver". Actually, the gun depicted in the film is a Colt's DRAGOON .44 cap & ball sixgun. I don't know why the title, "Colt .45" is stuck on this film, when "Colt .44" would have been just as sexy-sounding, and would have been historically accurate, as well. The introduction of a reliable, durable and accurate revolving pistol did really revolutionize things in the Old West, as depicted in the film but still, the name of the gun is wrong. I guess the film maker either didn't know or didn't care about the inaccuracy. All that being said, This is still a film worth watching. The reason is Randolph Scott, of course. I have been a huge fan since viewing "Ride the High Country" about 25 years ago. Over time I have seen most of his Westerns and while the films themselves vary in quality, the performance of Mr. Scott is almost always excellent. This is a lesser offering, granted, but the presence of Mr. Scott makes it worth the time. I'd rate it a 7.

Three things in the film's favour

[jromanbaker · 4/10 · 19 March 2024]

One good thing is the few scenes that Ruth Roman is in ( a great underestimated actor in my opinion; ) two the use of colour which is excellent down to every detail and three the debatable way guns dominate so much of the fiction and non-fiction of the history of America. As for the story the Colt.45 gun falls out of the ' good ' hands of Randolph Scott into the over the top acting hands of Zachary Scott. Native Americans quite rightly get tired of being shot at and at least in one scene Randolph Scott is nice enough to save one. Fast paced it is directed at full force and I must confess I am fascinated by the Western genre. This may have been an A feature in 1950 but it is not in the same league of Westerns like ' Shane, ' ' Tension at Table Rock ' or the almost unknown ' Fury at Showdown. ' And all made by Anthony Mann. But this is a film worth watching despite the far too many ' easy ' deaths by gunshot and the saddening normality of it.

Solid action all the way!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 27 January 2017]

The script is full of inconsistencies like plot holes a mile wide and characters who behave erratically and irrationally. True, the Zachary Scott character is undoubtedly supposed to be a psychotic nut — Scott plays him way over the top — but the others are certifiably sane despite their often odd behavior. It's a challenge to players to get realism as well as charisma into their performances under these circumstances, yet all succeed supremely well. Lloyd Bridges is almost too effective a villain, whilst Ruth Roman makes both a comely yet spirited heroine. (One of the screenplay's innovations for a class "A" western is that there's absolutely no romantic entanglements whatever. "Colt .45", as the name implies, is solid action all the way). We also enjoyed Alan Hale's persuasive study of a two-timing sheriff (this was his second last film appearance).

Despite the script's lack of credibility, it does have the three main requirements all western fans demand: action, more action and yet more action — enough in fact to supply four or five average "B" westerns. Director Marin keeps it boiling away at an exciting pace that never lets up. Technicolor, of course, adds considerably to the picture's appeal.

This Average Western Concerns the Thief of Two Colt .45 Revolvers

[zardoz-13 · 6/10 · 13 July 2008]

"Tall in the Saddle" director Edwin L. Marin's predictable law and order oater "Colt .45" with Randolph Scott and Ruth Roman is just the kind of western that the National Rifle Association would applaud. Consider the film's foreword: 'A gun, like any other source of power, is a force for either good or evil, being neither in itself, but dependent upon those who possess it.' In other words, guns don't kill people, rather people abuse guns and kill people. "Colt .45" epitomizes this theme. "Cattle Queen of Montana" scenarist Thomas W. Blackburn has created a storyline that encapsulates the foreword. Basically, the villain steals the hero's six-shooters, and the hero must recover them because the villain's use of the revolutionary six-gun is besmirching the company.

"Colt .45" opens with former U.S. Army Captain Steve Farrell demonstrating a pair of six-shooters to Sheriff of Bonanza Creek. Farrell touts the revolvers as 'the finest guns ever made.' Farrell swears by them himself and he has used them. While Farrell is telling the sheriff about the advantages of Colt .45s, Jason Brett (Zachary Scott of "Mildred Pierce") complains that he doesn't want to have to hear Farrell's pitch. The sheriff tries to hush Brett up. The lawn has already arranged for the departing stagecoach departing to transport the unruly Brett out of the county. Farrell walks away momentarily from the pair of display pistols in a case on the sheriff's desk when Brett scuffles with the lawman, seizes the six-guns, and blasts away at everybody. The town citizens pour into the sheriff's office in time to see Brett on his way to the back door. Before Brett skedaddles, he incriminates Farrell as his partner. The outraged citizens grab our hero and lock him up. Later, the circuit judge advises the sheriff that he must release Farrell because he has no reason to hold him.

Farrell is anxious to hit the trail and nab Brett. Between the time that Brett escaped and Farrell's release, the gun thief has held up a stagecoach, lone rider on the trail, and settlers camping out. Brett assembles a gang of gunslingers to ride with him and settles down in Bonanza Creek to prey on the stagecoaches carrying gold shipments. At one point, Brett and his gunmen kill several Indians and then masquerade as redskins to waylay the stagecoach. Farrell finds one of the Indians, Walking Bear (Chief Thundercloud of "Badman's Territory"), while he is still alive and sends him packing on his horse. Next, Farrell catches a ride on the stage. Brett's Indian imposters strike the stage and Farrell climbs down inside the coach to return fire. He finds Beth Donovan (Ruth Roman of "Strangers on a Train") and she protests at what he is doing. They argue, but Farrell manages to gun down six of the outlaws. Brett pulls his gang off the coach. When Farrell helps the surviving driver, he discovers a scarf attached to the stage and accuses Beth of warning the outlaws about the gold shipments. When the stage arrives in Bonanza Creek, Farrell convinces Sheriff Harris (Alan Hale of "Desperate Journey") to make him his deputy so that he can get to the bottom of the lawlessness that the Colt .45 gang has created.

As it turns out, Sheriff Harris is corrupt and he is Brett's accomplice. Beth is passing along information about the gold shipments because he believes that Brett will kill her husband Paul (Lloyd Bridges of "High Noon") if she doesn't continue to help him. Farrell and the Indians capture two of Brett's men. The following day the outlaws are put on trial out in the street with a judge presiding. Brett's hides his Colt .45s and rides into town with his gang. Brett implicates Farrell because Farrell has the only pair of Colt .45s in the county. Naturally, Sheriff Harris goes along with Brett who is posing like an upstanding citizen. Walking Bear rescues Farrell from a lynch mob. Meanwhile, Paul and Beth had fallen out with each other after she learns that he was a member of the Brett gang all the time. Beth hates Brett and she rides to town about the same time that the judge is holding court out in the street and tries to warn Sheriff Harris. Beth's husband has no qualms about gunning her down. Walking Bear and Farrell hightail it out of Bonanza Creek and Farrell scoops up Beth and takes her along. Later, Sheriff Harris and a posse show up at Walking Bear's village, but the chief refuses to turn Farrell and the wounded Beth over to him.

"Colt .45" qualifies as a B-movie western that clocks in at a trim 74-minutes, and Marin doesn't squander time. Interestingly enough, when our hero Farrell settles down to the business of rounding up the Brett gang, he changes into a totally black outfit. Scenarist Thomas W. Blackburn keeps Farrell scrambling from the moment that Brett pinches his pair of Colt .45s and playing catch-up until the last six minutes of the action. Zachary Scott makes a convincing ruthless killer. During his final fisticuffs with Farrell, Brett digs his fingers into the knife wound that our hero received from the hands of Brett's henchmen. Apparently, since Beth was deluded into thinking that her husband's safety was in jeopardy, she is allowed to switch sides and she is punished for her collaboration with the villains. Fans of actor Randolph Scott will enjoy this straightforward, no-nonsense western, but it suffers when compared to the later westerns that Scott made for director Bud Boetticher and director Andre de Toth.

Colt .45?

[dakake-47344 · 5/10 · 27 January 2018]

Just watched this on TV. Title should have been: "Colt .44"! Every pistol or revolver in the movie, and there were plenty, were ALL cap & ball and not a single cartridge handgun. A Colt .45 is a cartridge introduced in 1873 and used in Colt SAA revolvers, not a one was seen in this film. Please do a little of your own research in order to verify my claim. Thank you.

Surprisingly violent

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 12 August 2016]

The premise for this Warner Brothers western is certainly ironic. Randolph Scott plays a gun salesman whose forty-fives are taken and used by a hardened criminal (Zachary Scott) during a jailbreak. This turns the first Scott into an unlikely detective trying to track down the second Scott.

The weapons cost a lot and are meant to be used responsibly. If they remain in the possession of an outlaw and his gang, these babies will not be used carefully. So you might say that this a tale about gun control.

Along the way we meet a gal played by Ruth Roman whose husband (Lloyd Bridges) is mixed up with Zachary Scott's group. Miss Roman is introduced during a nail-biting sequence involving a gold shipment and a runaway stagecoach. After her safety is assured, she takes off on a stolen horse.

When she arrives home, she reconnects with her husband. But she is unaware of the extent of his criminal activities.

She thought he was forced to keep an eye on the gold coming in and out of Bonanza Creek, something she is assisting him with...but he is actually a willing participant and plans to rob from the bank and various businesses in the local town. Eventually she realizes how corrupt he is...and voices her opposition to it.

There's an interesting scene where she goes on horseback to tell the sheriff (Alan Hale) what's going on, not knowing he's as crooked as the outlaws. As she reaches the center of town, her husband shoots her in the arm to stop her from exposing his nefarious deeds.

Of course, we know that Randolph Scott, who has become deputized, will clean up Bonanza Creek. And once her bad-guy hubby is out of the way, Miss Roman will be free to have a proper relationship with him.

The film contains a surprising amount of violence for a something made when a strict production code was enforced. It seems to work in two directions. Heroes are responsible with their firearms, and villains are not. Both sides of the law provide great shoot-'em-ups that western fans will enjoy.

The Cross Guns.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 4 May 2014]

Colt .45 (AKA: Thundercloud) is directed by Edwin L. Marin and written by Thomas W. Blackburn. It stars Randolph Scott, Ruth Roman, Zachary Scott, Lloyd Bridges, Alan Hale Senior and Chief Thundercloud. Music is by William Lava and cinematography by Wilfred M. Cline.

"A gun like any other source of power, is a force for either good or evil, being neither in itself, but dependent upon those who possess it."

Another of the Warner Brothers Westerns to star Western legend Randolph Scott, this one sees Scott once again team up with Marin for another lively and colourful bout of yee-haw shenanigans. Scott is gun salesman Steve Farrell, who has his new Colt .45's stolen by outlaw Jason Brett (Z Scott). As Brett and his gang wreak havoc across the lands, Farrell sets out with angered urgency to end the rampage.

1950 was a big year for the Western genre, there was strong psychological releases such as Broken Arrow, Devil's Doorway, The Furies, The Gunfighter and Winchester '73. While John Ford was laying down one of his super Cavalry movies with Rio Grande. Colt .45 is a mile from the class of those, but as the box office success of it shows, there was then, and still is now, a great deal of enjoyment to be garnered from this type of Randy Scott Oater.

There's a unpretentiousness about the film, while the portrayal of the Indians here, who have a significant say in the story, is on the good side of good. Z Scott makes for a good villain without going over the top, Hale, who would pass away this same year, is good value as always and Roman looks the pretty part in a thankless role. Marin directs at a clip, instilling gusto to the plentiful action, and Cline brings the picturesque landscapes to colourful life.

There's of course some suspension of disbelief needed, while certain plot developments are daft, but once the dramatic twists align themselves with the frivolity, it rounds out as a good time for all the family; and of course those into gun porn! 7/10

High body count western

[pmtelefon · 7/10 · 9 January 2019]

I'm a fan of Randolph Scott's westerns. They have a nice late night feel to them that always hits the spot. "Colt 45" is a pretty good one. It's fast moving with a short running time. It doesn't overstay its welcome. Scott was good as always. Ruth Roman was dreamy. Zachary Scott was a complete nut. The body count in "Colt 45" is off the charts. I wonder what Peckinpah would have done with this one.

Better than a Sharps

[jcohen1 · 6/10 · 13 December 2007]

Colt 45 is certainly a lite western for RS but nevertheless is worth a shot. What I found most interesting are how many familiar actors from later big movies make their lesser screen appearances here. Ruth Roman is the only female in the picture and has everybody's attention. She even manages to throw some dirt at and a knockout of RS. Probably the only time this has happened to Scott on screen. She is a few years ahead of Far Country with Jimmy Stewart. Walter Coy, Aaron Edwards in The Searchers, has an uncredited role here that you'd have to Search for. Lloyd Bridges predates his paranoid role in High Noon with a complete weasel of a character here. The catch of the day is Ian McDonald playing Miller here, a member of Zachary Scott's gang; later as Frank Miller in High Noon.

As for the flick, Scott looks clean shaven even after forty days of soft time in jail. Brother Zachary looks like a very light weight Clark Gable. The sexual symbolism is a little too obvious here but for young kids it was all surely missed. Just relieved that RS is clearly interested in Roman with Ruth more than his colts. This is one western where the Indians (unnnamed tribe) are the good guys. It's not The Tall T or Commanche Station but if you are a fan of RS, and I certainly am, you can't miss with a Colt 45.

"Colt .45" - A Disarming Tale About Selling Arms in the Old West

[xtine926 · 7/10 · 14 April 2012]

Randolph Scott stands tall and stately with a smile dancing on his lips throughout much of this semi-moving movie, even though it's not a comedy.

Dapperly dressed, Scott pitches pistol features and benefits, befriends native Americans, and does his darnedest to make the old West a better place to sell repeating revolvers in this shoot-em-up flick.

Some interesting points center around the other actors and characters in this two-and-a-half-star 1950 western extravaganza.

Watching Alan Hale (Sr.) as the wayward sheriff is positively intriguing. There are a couple of scenes where his resemblance to his son is so apparent that it seems as though Gilligan's familiar cry of "Skipper" might pierce the dusty air of Bonanza City at any second.

In one somewhat intense bad-guy scene, Zachary Scott's pinkish flower-sprouting pajama-esque shirt is accessorized oh so tastefully with a sandy brown neck scarf, and a deliciously dazzling silver belt with a sterling home-on-the-range flair. It doesn't necessarily detract from the scene, but this pastel ensemble worth raving about doesn't necessarily enhance the uber masculine character he portrays in this film. Maybe the wardrobe staff forgot the film was in color, and not in the more commonly used black-and-white format.

Meanwhile, Ruth Roman learns the hard way why it's important to avoid marrying a guy who rides roughshod on the wrong side of the law. And speaking of odd couples, who would have guessed that she'd end up cinematically wed to Lloyd Bridges?

All in all, this classic tale of the old west warrants one solid uninterrupted viewing as it is at least worth its weight in lead.

It's about this gun, you see.....

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 3 March 2016]

A great cast adds life to this violent western about civil war hero searching for the two guns stolen from him that frame him for a series of brutal robberies and murders. Scott (Randolph) must find the villainous Scott (Zachary) and stop his reign of terror.

"Pour yourself some backbone and shut up", Scott (Zachary) tells one of his men, turning coward as he attempts to warn the nasty boss of Scott's pending arrival. He has no qualms about killing his own men or brutally beating up the crooked sheriff (Alan Hale Sr.) in order to keep his reign of terror going.

The beautiful Ruth Roman is excellent as the wife of allegedly forced in gang member Lloyd Bridges who is obviously lying to her. She's pretty crafty, escaping from a locked shed in a very creative way and willing to risk her life to expose evil Scott and clear heroic Scott. Colorful but predictable, this is merely just moderate entertainment filled with all the familiar western trappings, even adding a local Native American tribe into the plot for good measure.

Gun thieves, escaped prisoner, and cowboys imitating Indians all add up to an entertaining western

[Ed-Shullivan · 7/10 · 24 August 2022]

Any western that includes Randolph Scott is guaranteed to be a decent western but then add Lloyd Bridges, Ruth Roman, and Zachary Scott to the mix and you have just made the film a western classic. Ruth Roman is especially hard not to like in her role as the good, then evil, then again good woman. The plot is simple enough when Zachary Scott while breaking out of his jail cell absconds with Randolph Scott's two prototype .45 guns.

So the hunt is on but whose chasing who?

This is a pretty good western/adventure/romance film and when you include an underlying storyline of white men pretending to be mean Indians you just know there is going to be hell to pay to rid the town of the bad guys.

I give the film a decent 7 out of 10 IMDb rating.

Stereotypes.

[deslloyd · 3/10 · 11 January 2019]

Its a film to kill some time and it was of its time. Comical at times with its depiction of natives.

Classic action western

[colt45ras · 10/10 · 15 June 2006]

Colt.45 is a classic action western with comic strip heroics. It's not meant to be a serious western but a rip roaring shoot 'em up. The plotting is superb with great characters. I love it when the Indian chief says: 'indians can be so quiet.' Zachary Scott is a real slimy villain whose tendencies borders on psychotic. The way his cheek just twitches and he cold-bloodedly shoots Lloyd bridges is great. Randolph Scott is in fine form here and i always preferred his pre-Boeticher westerns. His warner Bro. stuff was exciting and lacking in the long drawn out talk his Boeticher westerns seemed to have. Colt.45 is a fine example of the kind of westerns i love and i can say with sadness that they unfortunately don't make it like 'em afore.'

Not bad, but clearly a lesser Randolph Scott film

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 24 October 2009]

Sometimes it sucks to be a cowboy hero. In this film, Randolph Scott can't catch any breaks in the first few minutes of the film. First, when the evil baddie Zachary Scott escapes after killing the sheriff, the townspeople lock up Randolph--even though he did nothing and Zachary stole his prize revolvers. Second, after he finally is released because there is no evidence against him, Randolph jumps into the middle of a stage robbery and saves the day...only to have the lady on board steal his horse! Like I said, sometimes it sucks to be the cowboy hero! The rest of the film consists of Randolph trying to track down the gang and make them pay. The only problem is that practically everyone is too stupid to realize who is the real gang leader, so often it's up to our hero to do much of the hero-stuff alone or with the help of his Indian friends.

The movie suffers from one too many cases of "he appears to be _________ but is actually __________". This happens four different times--a town sheriff who appears interested in law and order who is actually a member of the gang, a lady who appears to be working for the gang but is only interested in saving her husband, the husband who appears to be prisoner of the gang but is actually a willing member of the gang and Randolph who is accused of being with the gang but is actually a hero. This is just way too contrived and happens too often--making the film seem very sloppy. While you can always count on a Randolph Scott film to be entertaining and reasonably well made, this one is clearly one of his lesser films due to the improbable writing and predictability. It seems like I've seen the final scene with Zachary Scott leaving the jail about 157 times in the past!!!

For fans of Randolph Scott, it's worth seeing. For others, it's really just another time-passer.

Stiffen Yer Backbone And Shuddup.

[rmax304823 · 20 October 2011]

I kind of like Randolph Scott as a cowboy. He relied on two expressions. One was a slight frown signifying determination and an awareness of danger. The other was a good-natured smile bespeaking satisfaction and self confidence. (Sam Pekinpah added a note to impending treachery to that smile in "Ride The High Country.") Scott's minimalist acting was put to use in dozens of Westerns around this time, and sometimes put to very good use indeed.

So it's a disappointment to find that "Colt .45" is such a stinker. It's not Randy's fault. He does his usual schtick. The responsibility for the failure lies with the writer and the director.

The director, Marin, seems to have encouraged all his principles to overact. Of course he could get nowhere with Randolph Scott, who had the range of a Soviet era steel statue, all muscle, upraised arm with a fist on the end. But Ruth Roman looks as if she's taking acting lessons. And Zachary Scott, as the outlaw who steals two of Scott's Colt six shooters and becomes feared throughout the cinematic West, goes well beyond a community college drama class into some overacting stratosphere. Many movies are as good as their villains. And Zachary Scott's villainy would sink this effort, even if nothing else did. He never utters a kind word -- not from the very beginning. He doesn't smile. He sneers and scowls. His eyes bulge with malevolence. He hisses between snarls. The director needed to rein him in, along with just about everyone else, extras included. If only Z. Scott had had a dog or a stamp collection -- or something!

The writer must share some of the blame. The film opens with a prologue that tells us that guns don't kill people. People kill people. Then it goes on to demonstrate the opposite. On top of that, a good deal is made of the Colt .45s that Randolph Scott is selling at the opening in 1852. He explains that they're a revolutionary invention in that they can fire six bullets in sequence without reloading. He shows a client how it works. The revolver uses the cap and ball method, meaning that instead of a single cartridge, the user has to combine a paper cartridge and a lead ball, both of which must be tamped down, and then add a percussion cap. He must go through this procedure six times, once for every chamber.

I'm not a gun enthusiast, so I hope I'll be excused if I feel this throws a knot into the plot. If, as the movie asserts, only the two Scotts have these revolutionary new six shooters, it means that everyone else must have lesser ordinance like muzzle loaders. Okay, except that the few other pistols we see are apparently Civil War Remingtons, which were also six shooters loaded by the same method. Did Samuel Colt have a lobbyist at work? Of course not.

Well, so the movie sucks. It must be one of Randy Scott's worst Westerns. Yet, let me end on a positive note. Scott looks just fine, even if he doesn't exactly evoke 1852. He's handsome. He's weathered and tan. He's fit. Towards the end, he appears in black trousers, black belt, black shirt, and black cowboy hat, all properly accessorized by a canary yellow neckerchief. He strides. He exudes authority. He's charismatic. He collects his paychecks.