TRAIL STREET

US, 1947, 84 minutes, Black and white,
Randolph Scott, Robert Ryan, Anne Jeffreys, Madge Meredith, George Gabby Hayes, Steve Brodie, Billy House.
Directed by Ray Enright.

Trail Street is a standard Western of the mid-40s. It was directed by veteran Ray Enright, director of many and varied films at Warner Brothers. It is also a star vehicle for Randolph Scott who at this time began to make westerns regularly and, in fact, continued only in westerns until he retired in 1962.
The film is also a star vehicle for Robert Ryan, who had been around for many years, but in supporting roles. It is also a vehicle for George Gabby Hayes, a regular in Roy Rogers’ films and with John Wayne. (It is interesting to note that Hayes learnt to ride a horse only near his 50th birthday.) The villain is prayed played by Steve Brodie. There are two contrasting women, Madge Meredith as the demure fiancee, Anne Jeffreys as the saloon singer.

Randolph Scott portrays the legendary Bat Masterson who had cleaned up Dodge city and who is invited to clean up the Kansas town of Liberal.S cott gives his usual solid/stolid performance. It is up to Robert Ryan to be the hero of the film. It is the traditional story of farmers versus the cattlemen.

1. A traditional and conventional western? The frontier town? The cattlemen and the saloons? The proper citizens of the town, the farmers and their struggles?

2. The town of Liberal, life in Kansas in the 19th century, the farmers and their land, the cattlemen and their destroying the farms? The visualising of the town, the countryside, the homesteads?

3. The saloon songs? The musical score?

4. Allen Harper and his role in the town, promoting the farms, paying for the mortgages? His love the Susan? Her wanting to leave the town? In love with Maurey? The lawlessness in the town?

5. The Mayor, his concerns, wanting a lawman? Billy and his place in the town, his wisecracks, homespun, his memories of his cousin (and the entertaining moment at the end when his cousin arrives, played by George Gabby Hayes)? Writing to Bat Masterson?

6. The farmers, the destruction of their crops, the cattle trampling them, the farmers leaving, Allen paying the mortgage? The farmer who wanted to stay, his explanation that he had a solution to the grain problem, his being murdered? Bat Masterson and his sending Allen to pursue the killer after Allen was accused? His gun planted? Allen and the farmers, apprehending the killer and bringing him back, the grain and the solution for a particular kind of grain? Bringing it into town, persuading the farmers? The solution for prosperity?

7. The cattlemen, riding into town, shooting up, the bar, Ruby and her songs, Maurey and his control, using Carmody as his front? The plans to get the mortgages? Ruby and her love him? His wanting to marry Susan? To be important in the town?

8. Carmody, the bar, sinister, the set-ups the killings, Masterson and his interview with Maurey, the hitman being killed? Carmody firing at Masterson? Maurey and his plans?

9. The build-up to the confrontation in Trail Street, Trail Street as the end of the cattle trail? The cattlemen getting their guns and going out of town? Billy and his going to get the farmers? The fire and the signal for them to come? Masterson and the others in the prison? The beginning of the attack? The farmers’ arrival?

10. Maurey shooting Carmody, the confrontation with Ruby and her burning the mortgages, his shooting her? The men turning against him as a woman-killer? His death?

11. Ruby, being brought up with Alan, Susan’s suspicions, the gossip woman, finding out the truth, being sorry?

12. Law and order in Liberal, the mayor thankful, Billy staying on and welcoming his cousin but putting him in prison, Susan and Allen and their future? Bat Masterson wanting to be a journalist?