Surrender ** (1950, Vera Ralston, John Carroll, Walter Brennan, Francis Lederer, Jane Darwell, William Ching, Maria Palmer) – Classic Movie Review 12,220

‘STORY OF AN AMORAL WOMAN!’

The great Vera Ralston stars as sultry, amoral go-getter Violet Barton in the entertaining little 1950 Republic Pictures studios black and white Western film Surrender, expertly directed by cult favourite Allan Dwan.

Violet’s husband Henry Vaan (Francis Lederer) is in a Texas jail, so she joins her sister Janet (Maria Palmer) in border town La Mirada, where she has an affair with gambler Gregg Delaney (John Carroll) but seduces his best friend, wealthy newspaperman Johnny Hale (William Ching), into marrying her after she discovers he is the richest man in Texas. Johnny is rich but not that clever. He does not know Violet is a bigamist or that Janet is in love with him. But then Vaan gets out of jail and tracks Violet down,

Surrender is familiar stuff, maybe, but it is busily and well plotted, and there is plenty of fragrant oater atmosphere, not least from the cast, who also include favourites Walter Brennan and Jane Darwell. Handily, Ralston was the wife of Republic Pictures’ boss and this film’s producer, Herbert J Yates.

Also in the cast are John Carroll, Walter Brennan, Francis Lederer, Jane Darwell, William Ching, Maria Palmer, Paul Fox, Howland Chamberlain, Nacho Galindo, Norman Budd, Edward Norris, Jeff York, L Louis Johnson, Ralph Dunn, Roy Barcroft, Kenne Duncan, Wesley Hopper, Doris Cole, Esther Dale, Virginia Farmer, Cecil Elliott, Al Murphy, Glenn Strange, and Mickey Simpson.

Writers: James Edward Grant (story) and Sloan Nibley (screenplay).

It was released on 15 September 1950.

Vera Hruba Ralston (1923–2003).

The cast are Vera Ralston as Violet Barton, John Carroll as Gregg Delaney, Walter Brennan as Sheriff Bill Howard, Francis Lederer as Henry Vaan, William Ching as John Beauregard Hale, Maria Palmer as Janet Barton, Jane Darwell as Molly Hale, Roy Barcroft as Deputy Gerard, Paul Fix as Deputy Williams, Esther Dale as Aunt May, Edward Norris as Wilbur, Howland Chamberlain as Casino Manager, Norman Budd as Carson, Nacho Galindo as Gringo, Jeff York as Canning, Mickey Simpson as Pete, L Louis Johnson, Ralph Dunn, Kenne Duncan, Wesley Hopper, Doris Cole, Esther Dale, Virginia Farmer, Cecil Elliott, Al Murphy, and Glenn Strange.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,220

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