Rebellen der Steppe

Entertaining fictional tale woven around factual characters. A glamorous Yvonne De Carlo wears bright red lipstick and her hair flowing as Calamity Jane, and Howard Duff plays low-ranking outlaw Sam Bass with little energy. As this is '40s Hollywood, they're portrayed as heroes and make a good-looking couple, but it's true good girl Dorthy Hart who wins Sam's heart.

The late forties were for Universal Studios the period when they lost Maria Montez - Jon Hall's magnificent colorful, brilliant adventure movies; so they had to replace at least Maria Montez, some kind of equivalent, and then they found Yvonne De Carlo who was already in the studio for minor roles, besides her Paramount period...And no one lost in the deal, De Carlo was for me as beautiful, gorgeous as Montez, in any kind of pictures, and it's such a shame that most of audiences will remind her mostly for this TV show from the sixties THE MUNSTERS, which I don't know at all, unlike her numerous movies, so enchanted films thanks to her magnetic presence and beauty. I also love Howard Duff's character, a surprising anti hero in this tremendous George Sherman's feature. A very surprising and unexpected backward travelling shot in the last seconds. Unusual for this period.

This is an offbeat western ,one of the rare ones which does not have a Hollywood happy end . The screenplay features historical characters ,including Calamity Jane ,played by the wonderful Yvonne De Carlo ,who is as much at ease in the part of a Wild West girl as she is when she 's Countess of Castiglione or Mosis's wife .

According to IMDb reliable source ,the two "heroes" never met in real life ,but it does not matter.In the movie,Sam is a born loser,illiterate ,deprived of his money by a wicked uncle,and a dreaming man .All he does backfires on him and even with the help of two women in love with him,he is pursued by fate .Against all odds ,he does believe his mare is still alive but the pursuit of his dream is in vain.Howard Duff 's wooden acting does not get in the way for his character becomes an outlaw by accident and most of the time,he is overtaken by events.

Even though there is no record that Calamity Jane and Sam Bass even met and furthermore that by Calamity's own record the only man she ever loved was Wild Bill Hickok, Universal nevertheless made this film Calamity Jane And Sam Bass. Billing should have been in reverse this was really Sam Bass's story.

Sam Bass as played by Howard Duff arrives in Denton, Texas completely busted, but he's got a way with the ladies and he attracts the attention of the famous Calamity Jane and the sheriff Willard Parker's sister. The sheriff's sister is Dorothy Hart. He also has a great love and good eye for horses. That and the two women are both the key his success and his downfall.

It's fascinating how some of Hollywood's most beautiful actresses, Jean Arthur, Doris Day, and in this film Yvonne DeCarlo are cast as Calamity Jane. In real life, Mary Jane Canary as Calamity Jane was born had a face that could stop a grandfather clock for a couple of generations. She must have had something going to get all the men she did including Wild Bill Hickok.

Duff and DeCarlo aren't the most romantic pair going still the western is an interesting one with some well executed action scenes. I think western fans will like it still.

This is largely an unremarkable little film, with mostly wooden performances typical of the time in which it was made, but it does show how easy it is for a man to take the wrong turning through no fault of his own, when circumstances beyond his control provide no other option.