Fluentiama Perfect cast and a good story

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Sabah Hensley This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Alex da Silva I have never really bothered with the Western genre in film. Just like country and western music (as typified by those solo recording artists who are all rubbish and that includes the trendier singers such as the depressingly monotone Johnny Cash) it has always left me cold. For some reason, I do like Dolly Parton, though. However, I just can't seem to get enough of them at the moment and I think it is because I have been picking good ones to watch. Well, my trend for seeking out quality Westerns will continue after seeing this film.The story is essentially as follows - Joel McCrea (Wes) is sprung from jail to pull one last train robbery for mastermind Basil Ruysdael (Dave). Joel holes up in a deserted town with his gang that consists of thuggish John Archer (Reno), slimy intellectual James Mitchell (Duke) and initially not wanted saloon girl Virginia Mayo (Colorado). They bide their time until it's time to steal some loot. But, there are plenty of double crosses to come.Comparisons have regularly been made to the film High Sierra (1941), of which this is a re-make set as a Western. An easy comparison - this film is clearly the better offering in terms of action and scenery. It also has a much more credible thread with love interest Dorothy Malone (Julie Ann) and her father Henry Hull (Fred) taking the roles of Joan Leslie and Henry Travis who added nothing but boring sentimentality in the original. Yawn. And there is no blasted dog written into the script for poor plot contrivances. There is an overall higher satisfaction level with this film.The cast do well with a special mention for the 2 lead females. Virginia Mayo and Dorothy Malone both do justice to their roles and may not seem as they first appear. They also appeared together in "Flaxy Martin" in that year but with a role reversal on that occasion. In this film, they have some scenes together that are fraught with tension and there are many other memorable moments. A case in point is a shot of two men hanging from a train - certainly didn't expect that! Quite disturbing. This film also has great dialogue and captivating scenery and it makes for entertaining viewing with a happy ending. Of sorts.

jpdoherty Despite the misnomer of a title Warner Bros."Colorado Territory" remains a well liked and memorable forties western. Produced for Warners in 1949 by Anthony Villiers and tightly directed by Raoul Walsh this was the vintage director's reworking of his own classic 1941 Bogart gangster hit "High Sierra" as a western. The result turned out to be an exciting and top notch outdoor western adventure. However its somewhat hoary and clichéd title does tend to give the picture a cheap and dismissive B picture status which is totally unwarranted. They could just as easily have called it simply "Colorado" which not only would have been a title of greater dramatic impact but would also have made reference to the character in the story Calorado Carson as played by Virginia Mayo. Written for the screen by John Twist it was based on W.R. Burnett's novel "High Sierra" and crisply photographed in glorious Black & White by the great Sid Hickok.Outlaw Wes McQueen (Joel McCrea) is broken out of prison by an old accomplice and mentor (Basil Ruysdael) to plan and execute one last job - the robbery of $100,000 from the southbound Denver & Rio Grande train. But Reno Blake and Duke Harris (John Archer/James Mitchel) the two others he has to work with are a couple of mistrustful and devious characters who resent McQueen arriving at the hideout and starting to give orders. Along with the two - for some female company - is an attractive half-breed dance hall girl Calorado Carson (Virginia Mayo) who immediately takes a fancy to McQueen because he treats her with some respect. Eventually thwarting a double cross by Reno and Duke during the actual robbery on the speeding train McQueen and Colorado escape with the money on horseback hotly pursued by the US Marshal (Morris Ankrum) and his posse. The picture ends tragically with a wounded McQueen being boldly defended by Colorado in a fierce gun battle as she tries in vain, with two six guns, to stop the advancing posse. Together, hand in hand, Wes and Colorado perish.The acting is generally good from all concerned. In a rare instance of playing an outlaw McCrea gives his usual laconic and appealing performance. But better is Virginia Mayo who is very striking as the hard bitten half-breed who falls in love with the gentle fugitive. And not forgetting the powerful image she created for the blistering finale. Standing daringly and with trenchant resolve and determination she blasts away with two six guns in defense of her wounded man before being brought down in a hail of gunfire. It is a great cinematic moment!Besides the marvellous monochrome cinematography of Sid Hickock, filmed in and around Gallup New Mexico, the picture is also buoyed by a terrific score by the ever underrated David Buttolph featuring a sweeping and arching main theme and some great action music especially for the train chase sequence.A good western "Colorado Territory" was never available on DVD before but now thanks to the Warner Archives label it has just been released in a clean and sharp transfer.

jmrlasvegas Interestingly, Joel McCrea has been in two of the very best Westerns ever made...neither of which have the reputation of the big ones we all know. Colorado Territory & Ride The High Country are both films every fan of the genre should see. In Colorado Territory, Virginia Mayo definitely takes the cake for the best babe ever in a Western. She's brave, fiercely loyal & can shoot straight. What more could we want? The script is superior, with some very witty dialog among the gang of crooks and the action scenes are more believable than most. It's worth going out of your way to see.

MartinHafer HIGH SIERRA was an exceptional Bogart film and it helped to make him a bonafied star. However, like Hollywood tended to do in the 30s and 40s, they remade this film less than a decade later! However, considering how good HIGH SIERRA was, Colorado TERRITORY can't help but come up a bit short even if it is still a good film.Joel McCrea gets the unenviable task of repeating Bogie's role, though in this case the film is set in the Old West. The plot is basically the same and everyone associated with the film did a fine job--but I still am asking why bother remaking such a good film? It's worth seeing, but unless you are a huge Western or McCrea fan, it's skip-able.By the way, in an unusual move, director Raoul Walsh was at the helm of the original AND this re-make.