User Reviews

If you watch this movie anticipating a Western B-movie, you won't be disappointed. There's action and romance a-plenty. However, if you realize that this was an A-picture and you hold the film to a higher standard, then you will be disappointed. This film is at best an average Gable film, in that the plot is VERY tired--looking like so many characters Gable played before. In fact, he is a very close variation on Rhett Butler--a cynical Southerner who is only looking out for himself (so he says), but ends up doing the right thing when the chips are down. Yes, there certainly is nothing new here.

As far as other performances go, Ava Gardner is at her best. Broderick Crawford, though, does not come off nearly as well because his character is awfully stupid--especially at the end of the film. And, the utter stupidity of the end of the film is a major problem. One minute Crawford and his men are shooting up the town trying to kill everyone and the next all is forgiven and it's off too fight the Mexicans! Huh?! I truly hate clichéd, slapped on endings! There are many better Gable films out there. My advice is see them first and then give Lone Star a try.

There's enough of a story line and quite enough action to lift this Western above the average B programmer, but as another reviewer on this board points out, this one's not going to make it as a main eventer. What you have is a broad outline of the arguments, pro and con, of Texas becoming a part of the United States. Set in 1945 with Texas facing annexation, elements arise to conspire against that eventuality, with power brokers, led by Tom Craden (Broderick Crawford), attempting to set up their own Republic - "Why should we give up an empire just for statehood"?

For purposes of history, Clark Gable's character Deveraux Burke winds up on the right side of the story, but it's made fairly clear he's in it for personal gain as much as Craden is for his side. Between the two frontiersmen stands Martha Ronda (Ava Gardner), a journalist who seems to take on the character of her newspaper as the Austin Blade.

History buffs will likely relate to the character of Andrew Jackson, portrayed here by Lionel Barrymore. Pro-Union as they come, I was left scratching my head trying to figure out how his housekeeper Minnie (Beulah Bondi) beat Dev Burke to Austin. And for all of the emphasis given to Sam Houston's (Moroni Olsen) importance in deciding which way Texas would go, the character has only a minor on-screen presence in the story.

With all that, the picture is fairly watchable with a good mix of action, adventure, and the inevitable romantic entanglement among the principals - Gable, Gardner and Crawford. Others on this board have expressed a necessary suspension of disbelief with the conclusion to the story, but what the heck, haven't we seen that before?

A somewhat underrated and dismissed western is MGM's LONE STAR. Produced in 1952 by Z. Wayne Griffen for the studio it isn't really that bad despite receiving only fair to mediocre reviews and lacking Technicolor which would have given it an added richness it could have perhaps done with. Nevertheless it is still an entertaining little western thanks mostly to to an engaging performance from Clark Gable in the leading role. This was the actor's first real attempt at a western. A genre the star rarely ventured into which is more the pity since he looked well astride a horse and tottin' a sixgun. Four years later he was in his best western effort in Fox's "The Tall Men". From a magazine story by Bordan Chase LONE STAR was nicely written for the screen by Chase and Harold Eastabrook, was crisply photographed in monochrome by Harold Rossen and had workmanlike direction by Vincent Sherman.

It is 1845 and the state of Texas is in turmoil. The people are divided. Some want Texas to be an independent state. Others want to secede to the union. Ex President Andrew Jackson (Lionel Barrymore) appoints cattleman and adventurer Devereaux Burke (Gable) to seek out Sam Houston (Moroni Olson) and obtain his support in joining the union. But hardened Texan Tom Craden (Brodrick Crawford) is totally against annexation and has many like minded followers who will oppose it by armed conflict if necessary. After Burke saves Craden from marauding Indians the two become friends and even vie with each other for the affections of Austin newspaper editor the lovely Martha Ronda (Ava Gardner). However when Craden hears who Burke is and learns of his intended mission the two sides go into battle on the streets of Austin (a well executed sequence) culminating in an excellent and exhaustive hand to hand fight scene between the two antagonists.

Performances are generally good throughout. Gable is his usual appealing self. His winning screen presence as engaging as ever. Good too is Crawford in that blustery style he was known for. And as always lovely to look at is the ravishing Ava Gardner. Also of some note is the terrific music score by David Buttolph. A prolific composer, arranger and conductor Buttolph was born in 1902 and arrived in Hollywood in the mid-thirties. He was an excellent and underrated composer! His voluminous output numbers over 200 films but he never gained the status or reputation of his more illustrious counterparts such as Newman, Rozsa, Steiner or Tiomkin. He worked mostly on a freelance basis between the major studios. At Fox he wrote memorable and striking title music for "Kiss Of Death" and "Boomerang" both 1947 and that same year would conceive what would become his masterpiece with his exceptional score for "The Foxes Of Harrow". Over at Warner Brothers he would often step into the shoes of Max Steiner when the busy resident composer was over committed. Some of his standout scores for Warners were "Colorado Territory" (1949) and the Randolph Scott westerns "Carson City" (1952) and his delightful music for "Westbound" in 1959. That same year he would put together an array of rousing cavalry songs in his score for the John Ford classic "The Horse Soldiers". For LONE STAR at MGM he wrote a robust and vigorous anthem for the emblem of the lone star state and alongside some vibrant action music the score also features an elegant, lyrical and attractive love theme fetchingly vocalized by Miss Gardner in one scene. David Buttolph died in 1983.

LONE STAR is not and never will be regarded as a classic western but it does have moments of real charm especially in the scenes with Gable and Gardner. So with its good production values, its engaging narrative together with an attractive cast it turns out just that little bit better than average.

This review contains a spoiler.

Reviewers should proofread what they write before submitting it to IMDb- -case in point, the review that says "1945" instead of "1845." That said, the historical background for this film is so inaccurate as to be pointless. The facts are that Texas was a republic after its victory against Santa Anna at San Jacinto in 1836 and had its president, congress, ambassadors to other nations, and a navy for nine years.

The film is set in 1845. Andrew Jackson died on June 8, 1845. But the U.S. Congress had already approved annexation on February 26, the Texas legislature approved annexation in July, Texas residents approved annexation in October, and Texas was officially made a part of the United States on December 29, 1845.

So the film's plot about Texas becoming a republic makes no sense, since it already was for the past nine years. The business of a treaty between Texas and Mexico makes no sense either, because Mexico never recognized the independence of Texas. The official annexation of Texas may have heightened tensions between the United States and Mexico, but it did not in and of itself start the U.S.-Mexico War which began when U.S. and Mexican troops clashed in the area between the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers in March 1846, and Congress declared war in April 1846.

The end of this film strains credibility. After pro-annexation and anti-annexation forces spend considerable effort to kill each other, Sam Houston shows up escorted by Mescalero Apaches(!)and makes an impassioned speech that ignites super-patriotism among the conflicting groups, and the film ends with the former rivals, including Broderick Crawford doing a sudden and unbelievable about-face, off to fight Mexico. Presumably they are riding over the corpses that littered the streets during the battle.

Gable, Gardner, and Crawford do what they can with this mess. At least we get to see some fine actors---Moroni Olsen, Beaulah Bondi, Russell Simpson, William Conrad, William Farnum--in supporting roles.

With a line up that includes Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Broderick Crawford and Lionel Barrymore, one would expect a better movie. Disappointing, there's little action until the final confrontation.

The story revolves around Texas...its it to be an independent Republic or is it to join the United States? Ex-President Andrew Jackson (Barrymore) asks cattleman Devereaux Burke (Gable) to seek out Sam Houston (Moroni Olsen) who has indicted his preference for the Republic side and sway him back to the annexation camp. Annexation would it seems, start a war between Texas and Mexico.

On his way to Austin, Burke crosses paths with the leader of the Republic camp Tom Crader (Crawford). The two fight off an Indian attack and become friends, Crader not knowing Burke's true identity. Into the mix comes Martha Ronda (Gardner) a newspaper editor, who has been crusading along with Crader for independence. Of course Burke becomes smitten with the beautiful Martha (who wouldn't).

With Crader and his followers in hot pursuit, Burke finally locates Houston among the Indians and learns that Houston is indeed in favor of annexation, not the other way around. Burke takes this information back to the President of Texas Anson Jones (Victor Sutherland) and his Congress. Skeptical at first President Jones agrees to wait for Houston's return before proceeding with the legislation to make Texas an independent state.

Crader masses his forces and marches on the Congress with Burke and a small force of supporters defending. A battle ensues and................................................

The ending is a bit of a flag waver and really doesn't make much sense in view of the violent conflict between the principals throughout the picture.