The Cimarron Kid *** (1952, Audie Murphy, Beverly Tyler, James Best, Yvette Dugay, Hugh O’Brian, Noah Beery Jr, Rand Brooks) – Classic Movie Review 6489

Director Budd Boetticher’s solid 1952 Western stars Audie Murphy as Bill Doolin, aka The Cimarron Kid, who lands up behind bars after making one last ride in a train heist with the Dalton gang of Bob, Grat, Emmett and Will (Noah Beery Jr, Gregg Palmer, Rand Brooks and William Reynolds), who are betrayed.

Then Murphy’s Cimarron Kid becomes a fugitive and seeks refuge with one-time outlaw Pat Roberts (Roy Roberts), hoping to give up the life of gun-toting for a quiet family life with the ex-outlaw’s daughter, Carrie Roberts (Beverly Tyler).

Written by Louis Stevens, this is a routine, over-familiar, though serviceable yarn. But the movie is lifted by Murphy’s turn as a Western star, the rewarding character turns, and diligent work from cult director Boetticher, famous for his series of seven Westerns with Randolph Scott.

Also in the cast are James Best, Yvette Dugay, Hugh O’Brian, Palmer Lee, Roy Roberts, John Hudson, Leif Erickson, David Wolfe, Frank Silvera and John Bromfield.

It is shot in Technicolor by Charles P Boyle, produced by Ted Richmond, and edited by Frank Gross, with Art Direction by Bernard Herzbrun and Emrich Nicholson.

Murphy previously played two more of the Old West’s legendary outlaws – Billy the Kid in The Kid from Texas (1950) and Jesse James in Kansas Raiders (1950).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6489

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