Colt .45 (1950) is a fun western with a simple plot. Directed by Edwin L. Mann and filmed in Technicolor, this six-gun soap opera from Warner Bros. stars Randolph Scott as a traveling salesman with a unique product who gets into trouble out on the range. Also along for the ride are Ruth Roman, Lloyd Bridges, Alan Hale Sr., Chief Thundercloud, and Zachary Scott as the main black hat.
Buy Colt .45 from MovieZyngSteve Farrell (Randolph Scott) is a traveling gun salesman with a fancy new Colt revolver that fires multiple shots. As he demonstrates the six shooters to the sheriff of Red Rock, a prisoner, Jason Brett (Zachary Scott, no relation) breaks loose and snatches the weapons, using them in his deadly escape. Farrell is jailed for the killing and while he’s locked up, Brett uses the unique “six guns” to rob stage coaches and lead his own outlaw gang.
Once released from the hoosegow a few months later, Farrell gathers up his spare Colt .45s and hits the trail to hunt the man who stole his firearms and clear his good name. It won’t be easy as there is a new town sheriff (Hale) and a dubious young couple (Roman and Bridges) mixed up with that pesky Colt .45 gang but fortunately, the local Indian band are more than happy to bend a bow string to bring down the murderous Brett.
Randolph Scott and crew do well in this standard fare oater filled with solid action but I do have some questions about the plot. With the weapon being so new and back ordered as Farrell says, wouldn’t the ammo be a bit scarce? Also, how did the press know to dub the stage robbers the “Colt .45 gang”? Of course, an arrogant bad man like Brett could have simply mouthed off that he’s been using such a gun.
Those minor queries aside, the Technicolor looks amazing on this Warner Archives Blu-ray release and familiar filming locations like Vasquez Rocks really stand out with added pop. Ruth Roman is easy on the eyes and young Lloyd Bridges is fun to watch while Zachary Scott can mean mug with the best of them after he delivers a menacing line. It’s good to see Chief Thundercloud in a prominent role and fighting the good fight instead of playing the cliche Indian on the war path for no good reason and out for scalps.
The Special Features included are two shorts films, one a classic Looney Tunes cartoon, the other a live-action comedy that is part of a long-running series of connected shorts. So You Want to Have a Party is a short film starring George O’Hanlon as Joe McDoakes and is part of the So You Want series. This one features Phyllis Coates as his wife as they have a party that goes comically awry. The Looney Tunes short is Hillbilly Hare and features Bugs Bunny outwitting a couple of country hunters who want his hide.
Buy Colt .45 from AmazonColt .45 is basically Randolph Scott in a B western with a big budget and amazing color that brings some old familiar genre shooting locations to brilliant new life. Overall, not a bad way to spend 75 minutes of your time.
