DALLAS

US, 1950, 94 minutes, Colour.
Gary Cooper, Ruth Roman, Raymond Massey, Steve Cochran, Barbara Payton, Leif Erickson, Antonio Moreno, Jerome Cowan.
Directed by Stuart Heisler.

Dallas is colourful western and a Gary Cooper star vehicle. It has a post-Civil War setting - Texas and the building up of Texas and its joining the Union. The focus is on a group of brothers who exploit the Civil War for their own wealth. There is a revenge theme as Confederate Gary Cooper tracks down the destroyers of his family property. There are complications with the cattle-breeders and the old Spanish aristocracy in Texas.

Gary Cooper is at home in this kind of film - and was soon to make High Noon. Ruth Roman is an attractive heroine. Raymond Massey is a familiar villain as is Steve Cochran. Leif Erickson has a more interesting role as the Boston Marshal , out of place in the West.

There is good colour photography, a Max Steiner score and direction by Stuart Heisler who directed many thrillers and romances during the '40s and action adventures in the '50s.

1. An entertaining western? The Civil War and its aftermath? The growth of the state of Texas? American heritage?

2. Colour photography, the atmosphere of Texas? The western town, the Spanish aristocracy? Action sequences? The musical score?

3. The title and the focus on Dallas? establishment after the Civil War? States?

4. The Texas towns? The South, the North? The United States?

5. Gary Cooper as Hollister? His riding into the film, the encounter with Wild Bill Hickock and his faked death? His encounter with Martin Wetherby? The decision to impersonate Wetherby and track down the Marlowe’s? His work in the town? Financing the City Hall? The discussions with Will Marlowe? The pursuit of Bryant Marlowe? The welcome by the Spanish family? His kissing Tonia? Their accepting him? His tracking down Bryant, turning him against Will? The southern soldier identifying him? His being imprisoned? The escape? The shoot-out with Bryant? The confrontation with Will? The truth about Will's burning his home down? Revenge, his final decision to hand Bill over to justice? The love for Tonia? Martin stepping back and returning to the East? Gary Cooper as a typical western hero?

6. Wetherby and the gentleman Marshal from the East? The encounter with Hollister? His attitude towards the letter of the law? Going along with Hollister? The family, Tonia? The money available for improvements in Dallas? His being saved by Hollister? His getting the pardon? His jealousy of Hollister? His moving out at the end and leaving Tonia and Hollister together?

7. Will Marlowe as villain, the rustling of the cattle, Bryant and his shooting? Will and his respectability in the town, the people afraid of him? Bryant as the outlaw? The taking of Hollister and his talking his way out of the situation? Turning brother against brother? The discovery of the truth? Will and the confrontation with Hollister in the burning house? Justice?

8. Bryant as the roughrider, his associates, his girlfriend and her tricking Hollister? The violent attitudes, shoot-outs?

9. The Spanish family, the traditions in Texas, the cattle being taken, borrowing money? Tonia and her support of Hollister, falling in love with him? Relationship with Martin? Her angry brother? The final siege and the father having to borrow the money? The happy reconciliation?

10. The popular themes of the West? The aftermath of the Civil War? The carpetbaggers coning in? The exploiters of the war situation? The need for the establishment of law and order?