Arizona Raiders ** (1965, Audie Murphy, Michael Dante, Ben Cooper, Buster Crabbe, Gloria Talbott, George Keymas, Ray Stricklyn) – Classic Movie Review 9889

Director William Witney’s 1965 film Arizona Raiders is a routinely scripted but pacey and lively old-style Western with a bad sense of history and a good supply of gunsmoke.

After the US Civil War, confederate officers Clint Stuart (Audie Murphy) and his buddy Willie Martin (Ben Cooper) are captured and jailed by Union captain Tom Andrews (Buster Crabbe), who, in return for a pardon, gets them to join his newly formed Arizona Raiders to help bring in renegade raiders terrorising Arizona.

The duo infiltrate a renegade gang led by Montana (George Keymas), who have kidnapped Indian chief’s daughter Martina (Gloria Talbott).

Michael Dante and George Keymas are fine bad guys, while Murphy and Crabbe are useful, convincing presences as the good guys.

Also in the cast are Boyd ‘Red’ Morgan Ray Stricklyn, Fred Krone, Willard W Willingham, and Fred Graham.

Arizona Raiders is a remake of 1951’s The Texas Rangers.

Arizona Raiders is directed by William Witney, runs 97 minutes, is made by Admiral Pictures and Robert E Kent Productions, is released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Alex Gottlieb, William Lipman, Mary Willingham and Willard W Willingham, based on a story by Frank Gruber and Richard Schayer, is shot in Technicolor and Techniscope by Jacques Marquette, is produced by Grant Whytock and is scored by Richard LaSalle.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9889

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