Frontier Gambler

One of the most stylish mystery noirs ever done gets a trip out west in a remake. If you like Otto Preminger's Laura and have seen it several times as I have then you know exactly what the plot of Frontier Gambler is.

In keeping with the noir tradition Frontier Gambler is done in black and white. Deputy Marshal John Bromfield is assigned to the murder of a woman who was shot and burned beyond recognition in a fire at her home. Everyone assumes it is Coleen Gray who owns one of the local saloons in town, the other owned by Kent Taylor.

Taylor and Gray have an interesting history. He found her after her parents were killed by Indians and raised her in his gambling trade. But he thought he was nurturing her and instead she found it stifling. He also disapproved of her interest in gunfighter Jim Davis. As for Davis another saloon denizen played by the one and only Veda Ann Borg who likes bad boys like Davis.

I think you recognize all the main roles her from Laura. A little more in the way of action as per the setting of the frontier west as opposed to the sophisticated Upper East Side of Manhattan. But the story is unmistakable.

This film definitely proves that Sam Newfield could make not so bad films when he wished to, or when he had the means to achieve an acceptable job. This is a pretty good B picture, never compare with a John Ford's movie of course. This is not a silly story, as we could expect from NABONGA and TERROR IN TINY TOWN director, or those hundreds of "cute craps" that he made all over the years; some kind of Edward L Cahn, whom he has in common to have Orville Hampton as a screenwriter. Maybe among his best and interesting films, no matter the LAURA obvious inspiration.