Slaughter Trail ** (1951, Brian Donlevy, Gig Young, Virginia Grey, Andy Devine, Robert Hutton) – Classic Movie Review 12,536

Howard da Silva had appeared as the star in the completed 1951 Cinecolor Western film Slaughter Trail, but all his scenes were reshot with Brian Donlevy because da Silva was thought to be a Communist and blacklisted.

‘Navajo hordes on the vengeance warpath… as desert sands run scarlet!’

Producer/ director Irving Allen’s 1951 RKO-released Cinecolor Western film Slaughter Trail stars Brian Donlevy, Gig Young, Virginia Grey, Andy Devine, and Robert Hutton. It is more or less routine in every way, but it is notable, infamous even, for one thing. Howard da Silva had appeared as the star in the completed film, but Irving Allen had all his scenes reshot with Brian Donlevy because he thought da Silva was a Communist.

The film was made in 1950 made by Irving Allen’s company Justal Productions and was to have been released through Eagle-Lion. But, after da Silva’s blacklisting following his March 1951 testimony the House Committee on Un-American Activities in which he repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment rights, Allen reshot the film in three days and sold it to RKO studio boss Howard Hughes for $200,000.

So Brian Donlevy plays US Cavalry officer Captain Dempster, who is pitted against frontier bandit Ike Vaughn (Gig Young), who has killed two Navajos and set the whole tribe on the warpath.

Slaughter Trail is a simple, straightforward, standard Western with all the usual ingredients, though the Cinecolor is unusual and very welcome. There is one novel addition though: the action is strung together (or interrupted, depending on your viewpoint) by a folk-song commentary by Montana cowboy baritone Terry Gilkyson, author of Cry of the Wild Goose, who fell off his horse and broke his arm during filming. The ballads continue throughout the film High Noon-style, asking and answering questions, and narrating the story.

It is written by well-known comedy writer Sid Kuller (who also wrote some of the songs) so there are comedic, possibly satirical elements, that are awkward and sometimes just silly.

Howard da Silva became one of hundreds in the entertainment industry blacklisted during the House Committee on Un-American Activities investigation into supposed Communist influence in the industry. After da Silva’s March 1951 testimony repeatedly invoking his Fifth Amendment rights, his star role in the completed film Slaughter Trail was re-shot with Brian Donlevy, like Kevin Spacey’s role in All the Money in the World, where all his scenes were refilmed by Ridley Scott with Christopher Plummer.

Also in the cast are Lew Bedell, Terry Gilkyson, Myron Healey, Ken Koutnik, Eddie Parks, Ralph Peters, Rick Roman, Lois Hall, Robin Fletcher, Ralph Volkie, and Fenton Jones.

Slaughter Trail is directed by Irving Allen, runs 78 minutes, is made by Irving Allen Productions (Justal Productions), is released by RKO, is written by Sid Kuller (screenplay) and Oliver Crawford (uncredited contract writer), is shot in Cinecolor by Jack Greenhalgh, is produced by Irving Allen, is scored by Darrell Calker (musical director), and designed by George Van Marter.

It was shot at Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California.

It was released on 11 October 1951 in Los Angeles.

The negative was lost and the VHS release was in black and white as the Cinecolor could not be reproduced acceptably. But it is shown in Cinecolor from an original 35mm print on TCM.

The cast are Brian Donlevy as Captain Dempster, Gig Young as Ike Vaughn, Virginia Grey as Lorabelle Larkin, Andy Devine as Sgt Macintosh, Robert Hutton as Lt Morgan, Terry Gilkyson as Singalong, Lew Bedell, Myron Healey, Ken Koutnik, Eddie Parks, Ralph Peters, Rick Roman, Lois Hall, Robin Fletcher, Ralph Volkie, and Fenton Jones.

One of the film’s songs, ‘I Wish I Wuv’ (lyrics by Sid Kuller), became a hit.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,536

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