CHEYENNE/THE WYOMING KID

US, 1947, 99 minutes, Black and white.
Dennis Morgan, Jane Wyman, Janis Page, Bruce Bennett, Barton Mac Laine, Arthur Kennedy, Alan Hale.
Directed by Raoul Walsh.

Cheyenne is a little-known Western from 1947, directed by the prolific Raoul Walsh. Since he has such a strong reputation, it is surprising that this film is not more prominent. It has the disadvantage, when screened TCM, that it is called The Wyoming Kid which does not describe it or the central character in the least.

The setting is Wyoming, the expansion to the west, the outlaws like Sundance and his Gang, as well as the Stagecoach service by Wells Fargo, the transport of the mail and money. The Poet is the name of an unknown robber of stagecoaches, taking the money and leaving only a poem. Dennis Morgan plays a gentleman gambler who was commissioned by Wells Fargo to track down The Poet. On the Stagecoach, he meets a saloon singer, played effectively by Janis Page, and a rather prim Jane Wyman with whom he has had conflict about the proprietorship of a bath.

They are robbed by Sundance and Jim’s money stolen. When he sees some of the gang in town, he follows in, is taken to the headquarters, is told that The Poets wife is present – and it is Ann, Jane Wyman. For safety’s sake, they pass themselves off as husband and wife. Ann is actually the wife of The Poet, played by Bruce Bennett, the inspector for Wells Fargo. In the ensuing complications, Sundance and his gang are killed, The Poet is two-timing his wife with the saloon singer, he plans to abscond with the money, but, of course, is plot is foiled.

Later opinion about the film considers it a step above many of the routine westerns, with its characters and plots.

1. Warner Brothers Western, the late 1940s, Western traditions, the development of westerns during this period?

2. The title, the focus on Wyoming, with Cheyenne, and the substitute title – inappropriate?

3. Black-and-white photography, the country, Wyoming Territory, the towns of Laramie and Cheyenne, the streets, the solutions, the offices of Wells Fargo? The musical score? The songs?

4. The focus on Jim Wylie, a gentleman gambler, problems with the gun, the chief of Wells Fargo and the confrontation, offering him the job to find out about The Poet, the reward? His hesitation, decision to take it up?

5. The incident with the bath, Ann and her bath, confrontation, his mistaking Emily for Ann, the interchanges? On the Stagecoach, Emily flirtatious, Ann very serious? The hold-up, the shots, Sundance and his gang, the empty box, the poem? Sundance and his leadership, the gang taking Jim’s money?

6. In town, the saloon, Emily and her gentleman friend, the singing at the saloon? Jim noticing the gang, following them, the draw on them, his being taken to Sundance, Sundance saying he had The Poet’s wife, Ann emerging, pretending that Jim was The Poet, letting them go, watching them at the boarding house, the keeping up the pretence, the comic touches?

7. Ann going to see Ed, his role with Wells Fargo, the irony that he was The Poet, stealing the money, putting empty boxes on the Stagecoach, with the poems? His covering himself? His relationship with the sheriff? Ann coming to visit, the plans, the continued support of him? Emily and her revelation, Ed
two-timing Ann? Smooth talk to each?

8. Jim and Ann, going to see Sundance, the discussions, the plan, the shootout, deaths?

9. The sheriff, the touch of a coward, deputy, going to retrieve Sundance, finding Ann? Suspicions of Jim, talking to Ed? Jim and advising no horses to be rented? The discovery of the foal, his buying it, taking it to its mother, to identify The Poet?

10. Ann, Emily hiding, discussions about perfumet, her coming out, Ed and his covering himself? The plans of the money, for the Stagecoachs?

11. The two women on the stage, joining them, the sheriff stopping them, Jim eluding them, on the horse, the pursuit of Ed, at gunpoint? Emily and her disappointment? Ann and her cutting Ed off but not wanting him dead?

12. The pretence that Jim and Ann were husband and wife, pregnant, the chats with the landlady, the number of children – and going off, Jim pursuing her, the happy ending?

13. The popular ingredients of the Western but given a different tone?