Directed by Louis King and released by 20th Century Fox, Powder River is a Technicolor Western starring Rory Calhoun, Corinne Calvet, and Cameron Mitchell. Loosely inspired by Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal by Stuart N. Lake, the film reimagines historical figures with fictional names and settings, offering a classic tale of justice, betrayal, and redemption in the untamed West.
Plot Summary
In 1875, ex-lawman Chino Bullock (Rory Calhoun) retires his badge and heads to Powder River with his friend Johnny Slater to pan for gold. But when Johnny is murdered and their gold stolen, Chino returns to town and reluctantly becomes sheriff. He clashes with gambler Mitch Hardin (Cameron Mitchell), who harbors a dark secret—he’s a former doctor suffering from a brain tumor. As Chino sets a trap to catch the rustlers, tensions rise between lawmen, outlaws, and the women caught in between: saloon owner Frenchie Dumont (Corinne Calvet) and Eastern newcomer Debbie Allen (Penny Edwards).
Cast Highlights
- Rory Calhoun as Chino Bullock
- Corinne Calvet as Frenchie Dumont
- Cameron Mitchell as Mitch Hardin
- Penny Edwards as Debbie Allen
- Carl Betz, John Dehner, and Raymond Greenleaf in supporting roles
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The film is loosely based on Stuart N. Lake’s biography of Wyatt Earp, though all names and places were changed
- Chino Bullock stands in for Wyatt Earp, Mitch Hardin for Doc Holliday, and Powder River for Tombstone
- This was the first of two films in 1953 to co-star Rory Calhoun and Cameron Mitchell—the second was How to Marry a Millionaire
- Frenchie Dumont, played by Corinne Calvet, was inspired by real-life gambler Eleanor Dumont, who ran a gaming hall in the 1860s
- The film had a budget of $985,000 and earned $1 million at the U.S. box office
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