Guns of the Timberland ** (1960, Alan Ladd, Jeanne Crain, Gilbert Roland, Frankie Avalon) – Classic Movie Review 7722

Director Robert D Webb’s 1960 Western adventure Guns of the Timberland is based on Louis L’Amour’s 1955 novel, which sold more than a million copies, and stars Alan Ladd, Jeanne Crain, Gilbert Roland, Frankie Avalon, Lyle Bettger, Noah Beery Jr and Regis Toomey.

Loggers are at loggerheads with ranchers who do not want their trees chopped down into logs. Ladd lumbers along as the lumber boss Jim Hadley, but not as much as the film does. Hadley finds a new forest to cut down but it is in a controversial location just outside of a town. Roland plays Ladd’s buddy Monty Walker, but soon they are falling out over lovely heroine Laura Riley (Crain), who comes from the rancher side and leads the residents of the town of Deep Wells into opposed to the felling of the trees, which could cause mudslides.

Guns of the Timberland is a run-of-the-mill Western, predictably scripted on over-familiar lines, with acting varying from eager to being on the slack side. But in part compensation, there is handsome outdoor location cinematography in Technicolor by John F Seitz.

TV mogul Aaron Spelling co-writes and produces long before Charlie’s Angels, Fantasy Island and Dynasty. Ladd gave Spelling his first film producing job after being impressed by his work on two TV pilots.

Also in the cast are Verna Felton as Aunt Sarah, Alana Ladd as Jane Peterson, Johnny Seven as Vince, George Selk as Amos Stearns, Paul E Burns as Bill Burroughs and Henry Kulky as a logger. It is the first credited film role for Alana Ladd (1943–2014), daughter of Alan Ladd.

Guns of the Timberland is directed by Robert D Webb, runs 91 minutes, is made by Jaguar Productions and released by Warner Bros, is written by Joseph Petracca and Aaron Spelling, is shot in Technicolor by John F Seitz, is produced by Aaron Spelling and Alan Ladd, and is scored by David Buttolph.

It was was shot in and around Blairsden and Graeagle, California, and other locations in Plumas County.

Frankie Avalon publicity photo from 1963.

Avalon, who just had a number-one hit single with ‘Venus’, makes his dramatic debut in the film. He recalled: ‘I’m sure the reason why Warner Bros said “Let’s get this kid” is that he has lots of fans out there and he’s getting 12,000 to 15,000 fans letters a week. “Let’s put him in a picture with a guy like Alan Ladd.”‘ He sings ‘The Faithful Kind’ and ‘Gee Whiz Whillikins Golly Gee’ released together on a 45 rpm single in 1960. His performance led to him being cast in The Alamo (1960).

‘Gee Whiz Whillikins Golly Gee’ was covered by Bugs Bunny on the Bugs Bunny Show.

An electric guitar can be heard during Avalon’s first song, but there is no electricity in town!

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7722

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