Frontier Gal

Originally meant to be a vehicle for Maria Montez who didn't like the script - allegedly the spanking scene at the end - so the part went to Yvonne de Carlo, who thought that the spanking was 'cute'. The movie is fairly predictable in its taming-of-the-shrew type of rumbustious humour with plenty of fights and a prolonged spanking of our feisty heroine's pert bottom at the end, after which, of course, all is well. Well according to Western if not #MeToo. Cute performance by the child actress who manages not to be too annoying.

Frontier Gal (AKA: The Bride Wasn't Willing) is directed by Charles Lamont and written by Michael Fessier and Ernest Pagano. It stars Rod Cameron, Yvonne De Carlo, Andy Devine, Fuzzy Knight, Sheldon Leonard, Andrew Tombes and Clara Blandwick. Music is by Frank Skinner and Technicolor photography is shared by Charles Boyle and George Robinson.

What a mixed bag of a film! It begins with the high speed pursuit of Rod Cameron on horseback. He's our man in black and we shunt our way through absolutely gorgeous Technicolor enhanced locales. From there he hits town and quickly flirts with a ravishing De Carlo, flirting that goes so far as to use sexually playful violence as part of the process. This annoys local dude Sheldon Leonard, a macho muscle flexing contest occurs, a faux wedding is strangely arranged, Cameron bogs off for a few years, comes back to town, finds he has a daughter with De Carlo and the pair carry on warring as secrets begin to will out.

The story itself is utterly bonkers and tonally it is never at ease with itself as it unconvincingly tries to blend offbeat farce, action, drama and musical numbers. Some of the location photography around Kernville and Mammoth Lakes is sumptuous, the costuming gorgeous and sparkling in Technicolor (with a top print of the film now available). Yet these tech highpoints are undone by some real creaky money saving stage work, notably for the big finale as the scenery props wobble and the big dramatic "child in life threatening peril" sequences are blighted by appalling process work.

Cast are fine, very likable stars who are in on the nutty nature of the beast, with Beverly Sue Simmons as the precocious child of the play something of a revelation. The musical score is standard throwaway stuff from Skinner, likewise De Carlo's musical numbers - where I'm not convinced she is actually singing herself? There's also plenty here for the politically correct to get in a twist about, but personally it doesn't bother myself as I take it as intended for the era it was made. So all told, approach with caution because it's all over the place, but as wacky and as frustrating as it is, I still kind of enjoyed it - sort of... 5/10

Frontier Gal has two exceptionally great features that make the film at least a "7" rather than a "4"- One is the least 20 minutes of the film- fast paced and lots of action (in contrast to the first 60 minutes which was primarily colorful scenes from an old west barroom), breathtaking scenery of the Sierra mountains in California and a great story ending and 2. Miss Beverly Simmons who was fantastic in her role of Mary Ann. From my research on IMDb.com Miss Simmons appeared in only about 4-5 movies, including Buck Privates Come Home. all before the age of fifteen and died too early at the age of 64. I believe her last film was a role in Weekend with Father (1951)for which she did not receive a credit. Miss Simmons was "Shirley Temple" like yet with her own unique charm and terrific acting. I give a 10 to Miss Simmons.

Very atypical western,verging on slapstick farce ,with the longest slaps and kisses scene ever filmed .

She's the boss:Yvonne De Carlo runs the saloon and she reigns over men till a stranger comes .So begins an offbeat story ,part western ,with plenty of chases,part musical (even the daughter pulls her little tune ) ,part comedy .There are lots of domestic quarrels on an eventful wedding night,and it seems that the husband has the upper hand every time.An husband who has also got a straight bland fiancée who's got a "true" job (she's a teacher;says auntie:there are two jobs for a woman : one is respectable ,my niece's ,and one is scandalous ,yours!) These two ladies want the man to divorce Lorena .To make the matter worse,Lorena has also a suitor,a really jealous guy.

The movie is so-so but Miss De Carlo was a beauty and had plenty of go.

I saw and forgot about countless western movies in my early years, but this is one western I recall vividly. (I picture it in Technicolor.) First, I remember fiery Yvonne De Carlo and cowboy Rod Cameron who came riding up to the establishment she owned. It was like the irresistible object encountering the immovable force. Their love-hate romance was unusual for any era, and would be almost unthinkable in today's films, but it worked for this out-of-the-mainstream movie. I've forgotten some of the details, but what impressed me most was their little girl and how she brought about the exciting conclusion of the movie and a strangely satisfying resolution to their love affair. This is one I'd like to see again, but it never turned up on TV and seems to have faded into oblivion. A pity. It was fun.