Cheyenne (1947)

Cheyenne is a 1947 Western film directed by Raoul Walsh (The Big Trail with John Wayne, High Sierra with Humphrey Bogart, The Thief of Baghdad with Douglas Fairbanks). It stars Dennis Morgan, Jane Wyman, Bruce Bennett (The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and he played Tarzan in the 1930s under his birth name Herman Brix), Alan Hale, Sr. (a long-time favorite around here) and Arthur Kennedy.

Music is by Max Steiner (King Kong, The Most Dangerous Game, 14 of Errol Flynn's movies, the 1937 A Star Is Born, many of Bette Davis' films, Gone with the Wind, Sergeant York, Casablanca, The Big Sleep, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Now, Voyager, Key Largo, The Searchers). He's had a postage stamp issued to honor his work. The score is a highlight of the film.

and yet, i can't seem to finish it. i'm not sure why. i drift while it's on. it just doesn't maintain my interest.

There was a 1950s TV series of the same name that may or may not have been loosely based on this film, depending on which web sites you read.

It begins with this writing on the screen:

The lawless hordes of the Nation were drifting West into the wild lands of Wyoming. Here in Cheyenne and Laramie the wolfpacks waited for prey and preyed upon each other.

via youtube:



TCM has an overview, including a synopsis of the plot which begins with this:

In 1867, in Laramie, Wyoming Territory, Wells Fargo agent Webb Yancey coerces gambler James Wylie to search for an outlaw known as "the Poet," who has been robbing Wells Fargo shipments. In return for Jim's capture of the Poet, Yancey promises that Nevada criminal charges currently facing Jim will be dropped, and he will earn a reward.

Rotten Tomatoes doesn't have a critics score, but the audience rating is 89%.