STREETS OF LAREDO

US, 1949, 93 minutes, Colour.
William Holden, Macdonald Carey, Mona Freeman, William Bendix, Stanley Ridges.
Directed by Leslie Fenton.

Streets of Laredo is a standard western. It was written by Charles Marquis Warren who was to direct a number of similar films during the 1950s. It was directed by Leslie Fenton, British-born actor from the 1920s in Hollywood, director for about ten years from 1938 to the early 50s. His films include Saigon, The Redhead and the Cowboy, Whispering Smith.

The film is about outlaws in Texas in the 1870s. William Holden, Macdonald Carey and William Bendix are a genial trio of stagecoach robbers. They encounter Mona Freeman, a rather feisty young woman whose uncle has been killed by men who collect money for protection. As the film progresses, Macdonald Carey stays an outlaw. The other two become Texas Rangers and finally there is a confrontation between William Holden and Macdonald Carey.

Typical of the western films made at Paramount during the late 1940s, William Holden was emerging as a popular star during the 1940s. The other three players were contract players at Paramount.

1.A popular western? The title? The song? The traditional song? The song created for the film?

2.Texas, the 1870s, outlaws, stagecoach robberies? The law and the Texas Rangers? Cattle protection thieves?

3.The initial hold-up, Wahoo and his being on the coach, Jim and Lorn and the robbery? Their encounter with Charlie Calico? The homestead, the cattle being taken, the encounter with Rannie? The friendship? Taking her to Pop? Lorn and his pretending that the old man was his father? Rannie settling down? The other three going on their way?

4.Lorn as an outlaw, the robberies? The mastermind? His disappearing for two years? His reappearance, plans, friendship with Rannie? The change with Jim and Wahoo?

5.Jim, his past story, sullen? Friends with Wahoo? Admiration for Lorn? The strong emphasis on friendship? The Texas Rangers? Their finding the cattle, bringing them in?

6.Their becoming Texas Rangers, the dilemmas with Lorn? The contact with him? The attempted robberies? Their taking him in? His being in prison, the plan to let him escape? His taking over, knocking them out? The reaction of Major Bailey?

7.Rannie, her work in the office, her friendship with Lorn, Jim? At Pop’s house – and his death? Her turning against Lorn?

8.Jim and his resignation, arrest? Wahoo and his ambition to take in Lorn? The talk, Lorn shooting him? Rannie’s dismay?

9.Jim, Major Bailey sending him out to get Lorn? The confrontation, Lorn and his shrewdness, listening in to messages? In town? Going to have a drink? The confrontation, Rannie shooting him?

10.Rannie, a girl in the west, feisty, feminine? Settling down, growing up? Her friendship with Lorn, her disillusionment with him? Love for Jim?

11.The standard ingredients of the western? A tribute to the Texas Rangers?