This 1955 version of The Spoilers for Universal Pictures remains the fifth and last version on film. After over 50 years it could use another remake and I'm surprised no one has done one. I can see someone like Russell Crowe in the hero role as Gary Cooper, John Wayne, and Jeff Chandler in this film have done before.
Not much variation on the plot in this film. Rory Calhoun plays the charming, but very caddish gold commissioner who has a carefully thought out scheme to rob Jeff Chandler and John McIntire of the contents of their mine. Calhoun is also jumping Chandler's claim on saloon owner Anne Baxter and Chandler himself doesn't help his cause when he starts giving Barbara Britton the once over. What he doesn't know is Britton is in league with Calhoun and company.
If you've seen the film that starred Marlene Dietrich, John Wayne and Randolph Scott from 1943 also for Universal you know exactly how this one comes out. All the cast including the three leads acquit themselves well in the roles carved out by movie legends.
I'd really love to see the 1930 version of The Spoilers that Gary Cooper starred in, but apparently the film is lost. If someone knows something else on the subject, let me know.
In any event this version of The Spoilers is fast moving and exciting western entertainment for fans of action films with a nice dose of sex, courtesy of Anne Baxter.
