Lesley Selander Movies
A studio lab technician in his teens, California native Lesley Selander worked his way up to cameraman and then assistant director in the '20s. Until 1936, his solo directing credits consisted of modest 2-reel comedies. Selander received his first feature film directorial break through the kindness of western star Buck Jones; not surprisingly, the bulk of Selander's subsequent film assigments were westerns. Possessed of an unerring eye for visual excellence, an inborn sense of pacing and timing, and an overall easygoing expertise, Selander had what it took to gain "maestro" status, but by devoting himself almost exclusively to series westerns (the Hopalong Cassidys, the Tim Holts), his accomplishments went unnoticed by the film-critic cognoscenti. Selander's most accomplished work can be found in a group of medium-budget sagebrushers made for Allied Artists in the late '40s: Panhandle, Stampede, Shotgun, Short Grass and Cow Country. The films made by Selander outside the western field range from fascinating (1946's The Catman from Paris) to surprisingly spiritless (1951's Flight to Mars). With the 1952 series Cowboy G-Men, Selander launched his TV-western phase, which lasted until the cowboy craze died out in the early '60s. Selander's final films, the second-feature A.C. Lyles westerns of the Arizona Bushwackers (1968) variety, found him plugging away perfunctorally but professionally at the movie style he knew best. Before his death in 1979, Lesley Selander was gratified by the adoration and devotion of his now grown-up fans, who retained fond memories of the "something special" which distinguished his dozens of '40s B-films. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi- 1967
An insane, renegade cavalryman leads his vicious band of outlaws into a series of brutal raids against settlers and local Indians in this western. Fortunately, a former gunslinger and a brave Indian agent ride up to save the imperiled pioneers. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Ireland, Virginia Mayo, (more)
- 1967
Producer A.C. Lyles managed to do quite well for himself in the 1960s by making low-budget westerns crammed full of familiar faces whose stock in the film industry had slipped a bit. Starring in Arizona Bushwackers were such celebrities of yesteryear as Howard Keel, Yvonne De Carlo, John Ireland, Marilyn Maxwell, Scott Brady, Brian Donlevy, Barton MacLane and James Craig. Keel is cast as a Confederate POW who is pardoned when he agrees to patrol the West on behalf of the Union. Assigned to a wide-open Arizona town, he stands up to such disreputable types as a crooked sheriff (MacLane) and saloon-owner Ireland. When legal means fail, the ex-POW resorts to six-guns and fists to keep the peace. Yvonne De Carlo's part was to have been played by Betty Hutton, but the latter actress could not adapt to A.C. Lyles' "get it right on the first take" approach. Arizona Bushwackers may be cheaply made, but it is consummately acted by its strong ensemble cast and sturdily directed by Leslie Selander. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Howard Keel, Yvonne De Carlo, (more)
In this western, a former lawman forces a corrupt outlaw to relinquish his hold upon an innocent town. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Audie Murphy, Broderick Crawford, (more)
- 1965
Adapting his own novel, Frank Gruber penned the screenplay for the A.C. Lyles production Town Tamer. Veteran filmmaker Leslie Selander directs an equally veteran cast in this high-action Western. After his wife is murdered, hired gun Tom Rosser (Dana Andrews) rides into town in search of revenge and justice. Two years later, the killers have become the corrupt town leaders: Marshall Lee Ring (Lyle Bettger) and saloon owner Riley Condor (Bruce Cabot). They are aided by the Marshall's sadist henchman Johnny Honsinger (Richard Jaeckel). Tom proceeds to clean up the town by engaging in constant shoot-outs and barroom brawls. Once he gets rid of the bad guys, he earns respect from Mayor Leach (Lon Chaney Jr.), Doctor Kent (Richard Arlen), and other townsfolk (Burton MacLane and Jeanne Cagney). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dana Andrews, Terry Moore, (more)
- 1965
In this western, a cavalry sergeant is wrongly court-martialed. To reclaim his good name, he takes over a patrol that just lost its leader in an Indian attack. He leads the regiment to Fort Courageous, but is appalled to discover that the Indians attacked and massacred all but one of its inhabitants. The hardy little group must now fight the renegades on their own. The ex-sergeant plans a brilliant strategy that culminates in winning the Indian's respect. They leave the fort alone and peace is restored. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1965
In this western a cowboy rides out for vengeance against the outlaws who brutally murdered his sister. But before he can exact vigilante justice upon the killers a wise old lawman manages to round up the gang and bring them to proper justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1965
In this western, a cavalry unit rides into a Comanche trap. If the patrol leaders cannot find a way out, they will all surely perish. Fortunately, a sympathetic Comanche woman helps them locate a secret passage which allows them to escape and get help. Help arrives, but by the time the dust settles from the ensuing melee, only a pastor's daughter and one of the cavalry leaders survives. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1958
This second theatrical-feature spin-off of TV's Lone Ranger series stars, as ever, Clayton Moore as the Masked Rider of the Plains and Jay Silverheels as his faithful Indian companion Tonto. This time around, the plot concerns five silver medallions. When placed together, these tiny hunks of silver reveal the location of the titular Lost City of Gold. The owners of three of the medallions have already been killed by the mystery villain; it's up to the Lone Ranger and Tonto to save the other two owners -- Douglas Kennedy and little Noreen Nash -- from harm. Unfortunately, the bloom was (temporarily) off the rose for the Lone Ranger franchise, and Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold ended up in the red. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clayton Moore, Jay Silverheels, (more)
- 1957
This Republic potboiler is no relation to the like-vintage Swedish film of the same title. The wayward girl in question is Judy Wingate (Marcia Henderson), the stepdaughter of predatory alcoholic Frances Wingate (Katherine Barrett). Judy is thrown into prison for a murder actually committed by Frances. The motivation: both women were in love with the same man. Frances keeps mum about her crime until it's almost too late for the people whom the audience truly care about. Some of the best scenes involve B-picture "regular" Whit Bissell as a lovelorn middle-ager. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Marcia Henderson, Peter Walker, (more)
- 1957
As indicated by the title, Taming Sutton's Gal is a backwoods melodrama with comic undertones. John Lupton plays citified bank clerk Frank McClary, who heads to hillbilly country to do some hunting. He rents a room from Aunty Sutton (Verna Felton), whose niece Lou (Gloria Talbott) takes a liking to Frank. Unfortunately, so does the nymphomaniacal Evelyn Phelps (May Wynn), the wife of dangerously jealous moonshiner Jugger Phelps (Jack Kelly). Things get really hairy when Jugger is shot and wounded: he thinks that Frank is responsible, but the truth is closer to home. The inevitable climactic showdown is consummately directed by Lesley Selander, a past master at making silk purses out of sow's ears. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Lupton, Gloria Talbott, (more)
- 1957
This unusual western drama stars Ben Cooper as Jeff Blaine ,a twelve-year-old boy growing up sans a mother or a father in the small town of Plainsville. Jeff's mom died during his infancy, and his dad Nate (Dane Clark) left not long after and became an outlaw. With both of the parents absent, Jeff's aunt, Ruth Sewall (Ellen Drew) decided to step in and raise the young boy. As the tale opens, Nate turns up at Ruth's home and reveals his recent involvement in a gunfight. Because the law is on his tail, his time is rapidly running out. Though Nate hopes to make amends with his son, Jeff stringently rejects him, and Ruth backs up the boy's sentiments by politely asking Nate to leave, then returning the meager amount of support money that Nate sent to Jeff. In time, father and son do begin to make amends, but several obstacles threaten to stand in the way of a peaceful long-term relationship between them, including the violence of Nate's past, and the hostility of Ruth, who soon demonstrates that she's willing to do almost anything to make sure that the outlaw father doesn't take permanent custody of his son. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dane Clark, Ben Cooper, (more)
- 1957
Revolt at Fort Laramie offers the old one about sworn enemies uniting to defeat an even more awesome foe. In this instance. The time is the Civil War: the place is a western cavalry outpost, where Union and Confederate sympathizers are forced to share close quarters. Not surprisingly, tensions erupt in a hurry, despite the honorable intentions of commander (and stalwart Southerner) John Dehner. But when indian chief Eddie Little lays siege upon Fort Laramie, Yanks and Rebels fight side by side. Harry Dean Stanton, then billed simply as Dean Stanton, makes his screen debut as "Rusty". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Dehner, Gregg Palmer, (more)
- 1957
In this western, angry Apaches begin a series of raids on a cavalry outpost. First they steal all the horses from a regiment on maneuvers forcing them to march back to the fort. Upon their return, the soldiers discover that everyone at the fort has been massacred. Now a rookie West Point officer is left in charge, and unfortunately, he is too green to lead. Fortunately, a sergeant is there to take over the reins. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Smith, Susan Cummings, (more)
- 1956
Singer Tony Martin plays the non-musical title role in United Artists' Quinannon, Frontier Scout. Sent on a top-secret mission by the government, Quincannon tries to find out who's been selling repeating rifles to the Indians. The culprit turns out to be an old friend of the hero--and, for plot purposes, the brother of heroine Maylene (Peggie Castle). Throughout the film, Tony Martin appears uncomfortable and uncertain, a bad combination when you're dealing with taciturn Indians and renegade whites. On the plus side, Quincannon, Frontier Scout is gorgeously photographed on location in the Utah desert. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tony Martin, Peggie Castle, (more)
- 1956
Director Lesley Selander, a western specialist with humble ambitions whose work has fostered a minor cult, was the man behind the megaphone in Broken Star. Bill Williams stars as a deputy sheriff who encounters stiff resistance when he investigates the murder of a Mexican. Only dance hall girl Lita Baron and marshal Addison Richards seem interested in bringing the culprit to justice. When Williams locates the guilty man, he wishes he hadn't; it turns out to be his best friend and fellow deputy Howard Duff. Striking a blow for tolerance (in standard western terms, of course), Broken Star is a solid medium-budget job from a modest but talented craftsman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Howard Duff, Lita Baron, (more)
- 1955
Who else but Randolph Scott could be the Tall Man Riding in this rugged western? Forced to lay low for several years after being forced out of town by land baron Tucker Ordway (Robert Barrett), Larry Madden (Randolph Scott) returns to wreak vengeance against Ordway and claim the land that is rightfully his. Madden also hopes to rekindle the flames of romance with his ex-fiancee, Ordway's daughter Corinna (Dorothy Malone). The tension lies not in whether or not Madden will get what he wants but whether or not he can be dissuaded from becoming a murderer--and, by extension, a fugitive for the rest of his life. Tall Man Riding benefits from the brisk, no-nonsense direction of Lesley Selander, in one of his few Warner Bros. assignments. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Randolph Scott, Dorothy Malone, (more)
- 1955
While John Ford and Howard Hawks received all the critical plaudits, Lesley Selander quietly went about his business directing some of the best westerns of the 1950s. In Selander's Shotgun, deputy sheriff Clay (Sterling Hayden) embarks upon a long, vengeful journey to track down Thompson (Guy Prescott), the man responsible for his boss' murder. Packing a sawed-off, double-barrelled shotgun for this purpose, Clay also carries a rifle and sixgun for such "lesser" threats as marauding Indians. Rescuing half-breed Abby (Yvonne de Carlo) from certain death, Clay takes her along on his manhunt, and later the two travellers are joined by bounty hunter Reb (Zachary Scott), who intends to get to Thompson first to collect the reward on the fugitive's head. Naturally, a bitter romantic triangle arises involving Clay, Abby and Reb, but this is briefly set aside when Thompson is finally cornered. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sterling Hayden, Zachary Scott, (more)
- 1955
In this western, a white man kills an Apache Chief and starts a war. This time the Apaches choose an interesting way to exact their revenge: they will dress up as federal soldiers and sneak into the fort. The problem is that they must attack a supply column in order to get the uniforms. They do so and massacre the soldiers. Unfortunately, one escapes and is able to warn the fort of the impending attack. The Apaches soon find themselves gallantly marching right into a deadly massacre. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Joan Vohs, (more)
- 1955
Although the French Foreign Legion became increasingly anachronistic in the 1950s, films like Desert Sands helped to perpetuate the glamorous legend of this mercenary aggregation. Ralph Meeker heads the cast as a bold legionnaire who falls in love with gorgeous Arab girl Marla English. Alas, Marla is the daughter of shiek John Carradine and the sister of vengeful Keith Larsen, both of whom have vowed to kill all Legionnaires within shouting distance. Larsen eventually discovers that his real enemy is not Meeker, but the duplicitous Carradine. Director Lesley Selander staged most of the action scenes in the manner of his western films, with excellent results. One of the scriptwriters of Desert Sands was Danny Arnold, later the prime mover of TV's Barney Miller. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ralph Meeker, Marla English, (more)
- 1954
The Yellow Tomahawk stars Rory Calhoun as a Wyoming Indian scout who forms a strong friendship with Cheyenne warrior Lee Van Cleef. Their relationship is sorely tested when martinet army major Warner Anderson inaugurates a vicious anti-Indian policy, targetted at the Cheyenne women and children. Despite valiant efforts to stem the carnage, Calhoun is eventually forced into a fight to the finish with the understandably vengeful Van Cleef. Much-needed comedy relief is provided by Noah Beery Jr. as a Mexican (!) and Rita Moreno as Beery's Indian bride. Peggie Castle costars as Calhoun's white love interest. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rory Calhoun, Peggie Castle, (more)
- 1954
Neville Brand plays one of his earliest good-guy roles in Return from the Sea. Brand plays a sailor named Maclish, who is a boisterous, love 'em and leave 'em type--until he meets a lonely waitress named Frieda (Jan Sterling). Through her example, Maclish realizes that he too has been lonesome all his life, just waiting for the "right girl" to come along. Falling in love, Maclish and Frieda begin saving up for a little ranch of their own. When Maclish is seriously wounded in battle, however, it looks as though their dreams for happiness and security will be dashed again. . .but the movie isn't over, yet. Return From the Sea was directed by Lesley Selander, who helmed so many films for Allied Artists during this period that he must have slept and taken meals at the studio. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jan Sterling, Neville Brand, (more)
- 1954
Dragonfly Squadron is set in 1950 in the months before the beginning of the Korean War. John Hodiak stars as Major Mathew Brady, assigned to the base at Kongju to train South Korean troops for possible combat. These troops are to be used to protect civilians in the event of an evacuation, thus Brady is obliged to run them ragged in order to transform them into a lean, mean fighting machine. Despite the gravity of his job, Brady manages to find time to romance Donna Cottrell (Barbara Britton), the wife of an American doctor (Bruce Bennett). The Casablanca aspects of this triangle are the only forgettable aspects of this taut and timely adventure yarn. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Hodiak, Barbara Britton, (more)
- 1954
Arrow in the Dust is an intelligently assembled story of regeneration. Deserting cavalry trooper Bart Laish (Sterling Hayden) is forced by a series of circumstances to assume the identity of his dead commanding officer. In this guise, Laish is put in charge of a wagon train heading through Indian country. At first intending to weasel out of the responsibility, Laish eventually takes his duties seriously, and in so doing he restores his own innate courage and self-respect. Alas, he is undermined by duplicitous Tillotson (Tudor Owen), who intends to betray his fellow passengers and sell guns to the Indians. Coleen Gray costars as Christella, who comes to love the renegade Laish and helps him to rebuild his tarnished reputaton. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, (more)
- 1953
Fort Vengeance starts out as a western and ends up as a "northern." Trouble-making brothers Dick (James Craig) and Carey (Keith Larsen) skeedaddle to Canada when things get too hot for them in the states. The brothers join the Royal Canadian Mounties, where their knowledge of Indian activities make them invaluable. But Carey's recklessness causes the Blackfeet Indians to almost go on the warpath--and also leads to Carey's becoming a reluctant murderer. To prevent a massacre, the heartbroken Dick must track down his own brother. The film's climax is both downbeat and upbeat, depending upon one's point of view. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Craig, Rita Moreno, (more)
In this adventure, set in Algiers, a French cabaret singer tries to expose the identity of an Arab leader who is conspiring to attack the French. She hopes that by cozying up to him in his palace that she will be able to steal his plans and thwart the conspiracy. Unfortunately, she is soon unmasked and must be rescued by her real lover, a soldier in the French Foreign Legion. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Yvonne De Carlo, Carlos Thompson, (more)
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