Independent distributors Olive Films have added two more titles to their September slate: George Waggner's
The Fighting Kentuckian (1949), starring John Wayne, Vera Ralston, and Philip Dorn, and William Castle's
The Americano (1955), starring Glenn Ford, Frank Lovejoy, and Cesar Romero.
The Americano
Glenn Ford stars in this lush and unusual "south-western" as Sam Dent, a rancher who travels to South America to deliver a shipment of bulls to a Brazilian ranch owner. The troubles are many for this brave Yankee as he endeavors to get the bulls to the ranch through the Amazon, only to find the buyer has been murdered. Caesar Romero costars as dashing bandit leader El Gato, and Frank Lovejoy is an unscrupulous land grabber. In addition to the two of them, Dent has to navigate his way clear of a brewing war between ranchers and farmers. He also finds himself caught between the loves of Teresa (Abbe Lane) and Marianna (Ursula Thiess). Other troubles include pirhanas, snakes, and jungle cats. This film might seem rather ironic in light of global warming and the deforestation of Brazil, but it's rousing fun anyway, with a lively pace and Ford in fine form. This was one of director William Castle's final "normal" pictures before going full-time into scary "gimmick" films sucha as
The Tingler and
House on Haunted Hill.
The Fighting Kentuckian
John Wayne sets the wild "frontier" ablaze in this thrilling romantic adventure! Leading a regiment of Kentucky's riflemen, Wayne passes through a settlement of depatriated French families, all wealthy refugees of war from Napoleon's court. When there, Wayne's heart is captured by the French general's daughter. But a rich and powerful rival, Blake Randolph, also has his heart set on her. As the two suitors lock horns, Wayne discovers his rival has a nefarious scheme up his sleeve, and soon the courtship battle escalates into a full-scale war. It's "The Duke" at his best as the fighting Kentuckian battles for his love and the land of the free!