BULLWHIP

US, 1958, 80 minutes, Colour.
Guy Madison, Rhonda Fleming.
Directed by Harmon Jones.

Bullwhip is one of the many B-budget westerns of the 1950s. It looks very good with its widescreen colour photography. Rhonda Fleming and Guy Madison were B stars, Rhonda Fleming adding glamour to all her films. The director is Harmon Jones, director of some small films as well as much television.

The film is about the open range, double dealing in terms of cattle and buffalo companies. The attitude towards the Indians is ambivalent with a fair amount of dialogue putting them down. However, Rhonda Fleming’s character, Cheyenne, has an Irish father and an Indian mother and is part of the Cheyenne tribe.

The film focuses on lawlessness and justice in the west, hired killers, corrupt judges, ambitious company owners. There is some rough and tumble especially in the relationship between the stars, reminiscent of The Taming of the Shrew.

1. Pleasant western? Conventional? Cowboys, Indians, double dealings?

2. The widescreen colour photography, the landscapes, Abilene, the mountains? The musical score, Frankie Laine’s song?

3. The title, Cheyenne and her whip, Steve taking it from her? Symbolic?

4. The voice-over, Cheyenne, the Indians, the cowboys, crooked dealings? Her being half Indian, her relationship with the chief, the ceremonies, her anger with him when he referred to her as a squaw and deferred to Steve? Her ambitions, the plan with the judge, the money, the dead husband, her father’s will? The clashed with Steve, trying to dominate, the men laughing at her? Parnell and his deal? The stealing of the document and her plans for Steve?
5. The character of Cheyenne, fiery, her father, the world, the judge? Decisions about Steve? Her flight, the relationship with Parnell?

6. Steve, character, in jail, the hanging? The plan for his being released? Cheyenne and her using him? His not being pardoned? The posse and the pursuit? The dangers?

7. Parnell, character, involvement with Cheyenne, the pursuit of Steve?

8. The Indians, Cheyenne and her Indian background? The dialogue and its criticism of the Indians? The racism of the west?

9. The pursuit, the chase, the taming of the shrew-style relationship between Cheyenne and Steve? The finale and the happy ending? The blend of a fiery romance with the trappings of the western?