THE LONE RANGER

US, 1956, 86 minutes, Colour.
Clayton Moore, Jay Silverheels, Lyle Bettger, Bonita Granville, Michael Ansara.
Directed by Stuart Heisler.

We’ll the lone ranger is popular on radio and on television. Clayton Moore, who had a circus background as well as appearing in films like the son of Monte Cristo, was the clean cut American hero with the mask who was the adventure of the wrongs in the west. Jay Silverheels, a native American, was his companion, tonto. This film version of the story of the lone ranger appeared in the mid 1950s, rather in the tradition of the many westerns made at universal studios in the first half of the 1950s with actors like audie Murphy.
The film has quite a strong plot. It focuses on Lyle Bettger, a perennial villain, who wants to expand his property and get hold of a silver mine on a sacred Indian mountain. He is joined by a number of settlers who are opposed to Federal intervention and the establishment of a separate county. As men also disguise themselves as Indians attacking white settlements two rows up a battle between the two sides.
There is a sympathetic governor who is in favour of the county. He relies on information given to him by the lone ranger who is prone, like Sherlock Holmes, to disguise himself, this time especially as an old man, played by Arthur Hunnicutt.
There are scenes of racism against tonto, but the lone ranger and tonto visit the Indian camp, fight against the young brave who wants to take over as chief. Part of the subplot is the kidnapping of doctor’s daughter and her rescue by the lone ranger.
There is a sympathetic presentation of the Franciscan missions, a friar being the mediator between the governor and the lone ranger as well as taking in the daughter and her mother for safekeeping.
A spec to the origin of the lone ranger of injured in the screenplay, the death his brother, the use of the mask…
The film was remade, rather spectacularly, in 2013 by Gore Verbinski, with the army hammer as the lone ranger and, with a tour De Force performance, Johnny Depp as tonto.
Direct use by Stuart heisler, director of many drummers during the 1940s and fifties.
1. The long popularity of the Lone Ranger? radio broadcasts? television series? To the variety of film versions? To the expensive serious comedy of 2013?
2. Clayton Moore for many years as the Lone Ranger, his presence and personality shaping the tradition? Jay Silverheels as Tonto? Appearances, manner of speaking, phrases, kemo sabe, trustee scout? The William Tell overture?
3. A film of the mid 1950s, the era of television? The popularity of the characters for a cinema version? The 1950s and the recognition of Native American Indians? The tradition of Broken Arrow…? The sympathetic presentation of the Native Americans here, the double-dealing white Americans? The role of the government, the governor, the marshals and sheriffs, the army? The vicious racism of the settlers and contempt of the Indians?
4. The opening, the visit of the governor? His sympathy for the Indians, wanting to see the Lone Ranger? The discussions? The visitor from Washington?
5. Reece Kilgore and his welcoming the governor? Wealthy, the lavish party, the dinner, his attitude towards the territory and not wanting it to become a state? His relationship with his wife, contempt for her? His love for his daughter, wanting her to be trained like a boy? His hard words for his wife?
6. The introduction of the Lone Ranger, the device of having him disguised as an old bushwhacker, played by Arthur Hunnicut, giving his opinions, testing out his listeners? In himself, mask, the white suit, immaculate…? Standing for what was right? The background of his story, the death and his brother, his wanting justice to be achieved, not removing his mask until that happened? Relationship with Tonto, Tonto rescuing him, saving him, accompanying him, go between with the Indians?
7. The town, its prejudice, the men, being rounded up by Cassidy, to go on the cattle drive? Stealing the sheriff’s father’s cattle and killing him? The stampede? Kilgore and his control, wanted them to pick up the dynamite? The role of Pete Ramirez, his fiancée, the meeting with the Lone Ranger, to give information?
8. The role of the mission, the friar, mediating between the Lone Ranger and the governor? Welcoming Kilgore’s wife and daughter?
9. Abilene, the store, getting the dynamite, Ramirez and his buying the hat, knowing what was happening, his being killed by Cassidy’s men?
10. The Indian raid, the Lone Ranger capturing the men, white men disguised as Indians, stirring up hostility?
11. The Indians, Red Hawk and his becoming old, the possibilities for peace, Angry Horse and his wanting to take over, the fight with the Lone Ranger and his winning?
12. Kilgore, his plans, contemplating the mountain, knowing about the silver, wanting the dynamite, to be exploded to intimidate the Indians, to get the silver? His fomenting hostility? His dealings with Cassidy? Sending his daughter away, his dominance of his wife, expecting her to be with him?
13. The arrows on the door, with the scarf? her being with the Indian children, her fear? The Lone Ranger, his fight, taking the daughter, bringing her home, urging the mother and daughter to take refuge at the mission?
14. The posse, the build-up to the attack, the sheriff going to get the governor’s permits, the role of the Lone Ranger, discovering the silver, with Tonto? Using the dynamite to stop the advance of the settlers?
15. The arrival of the cavalry, Cassidy and his shooting Kilgore? Peace restored?
16. The character of the Lone Ranger, a righteous vigilante? The character of Tonto, his being beaten in the town, almost strung up, the role of the horses, the Lone Ranger’s rescue? An image of the bond between whites and native Americans?