Megamind
To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.
KnotStronger
This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
Curt
Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.
weezeralfalfa
First, a little historical background: Belle Starr did have a daughter. Originally named Rosie Reed, she later changed it to Pearl Starr. Unlike her mother, she didn't ride with the wolves, so to speak. Mostly, she became a prostitute, later owning several bordellos and other businesses. Evidently, she was a good business woman. In this film, she's called Rose and is played by Ruth Roman. For a brief period, she rides with the remnants of her mother's gang, after her mother's death. This film followed the 1941 film "Belle Starr", with leads Randolph Scott, and a young Gene Tierney. That was filmed in color, with the present one in B&W. ....... Rose has 2 sometimes suitors in George Montgomery, as Marshal Tom Jackson, and very tall Rod Cameron, as Bob 'Bitter Creek' Yauntis: a holdover from Belle's gang, who becomes the new leader of the small gang, upon Belle's death. The overriding question for Rose is : who killed her mother(It's never been agreed who killed the real Belle Starr). Bob and sidekick Yuma were the last members of her gang known to have been in her house, where she and Uncle Jim were shot, said to be found dead by Marshal Tom and his crew, who arrived not long after Bob and Yuma departed. Tom's bunch buried the two(a mighty quick decision), and burned her house, which didn't help Tom's plea that he didn't do the killing. The audience knows who killed Belle, as they saw the shooting. Belle was angry with Bob and Yuma because they had gone over to Antioch and killed the marshal. She said she would turn them over to the new marshal(Tom) for trial and punishment(probable hanging). Hence, Bob shot her to prevent this. Near the end of the film, a mortally wounded Yuma confesses to Rose that he saw Bob shoot her mother, something Rose doesn't believe at first. But, she never finds out why he killed her......This revelation causes a complete change in Rose's attitude toward Tom, whom she had assumed was the killer. Meanwhile, Tom has been chasing Bob and his 2 remaining gang members:Brone and Slim. With remarkable accuracy, while riding his horse, he shoots down the latter 2 , then mortally wounds Bob, who also falls off his horse. Bob, on the sneak, nearly kills Tom, wounding him in the thigh before dropping over dead. His last words were "You're wrong about one thing, Marshal. You'll never hang me". Wounded in both his shoulder and thigh, Tom initially acts hostile when Rose appears. But, she melts his icy reception with the news that she now regards Bob as her mother's murderer. Tom says he will have to arrest her and she will spend some time in jail. She expected that, and asks if he will wait for her. After a moment's reflection, he says "Yes", and they ride off together........The director was Lesley Selander, who had an extensive resume of westerns directed, albeit that most were B westerns. This film had the feel of something between an A and B film. It had an A running time of nearly 11/2 hours, but the B&W cinematography, and certain cheap performances made it feel more like a B picture. They must have been using black powder cartridges, there was so much smoke associated with firing their weapons! See it at YouTube.
JohnHowardReid
Copyright 3 November 1948 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Globe: 8 January 1949. U.S. release: November 1948. U.K. release: 28 March 1949. Australian release: 2 June 1949. 7,760 feet. 86 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Colorful Western in which Belle Starr, a notorious Wild West bandit, is killed by Bob Yauntis, one of her own men, who lays the blame on a marshal. Belle's daughter, Rose, turns bandit in order to take vengeance on the marshal, until he proves his innocence. Rod Cameron gives an excellent performance as the bad man, with good work coming from George Montgomery and Ruth Roman.NOTES: A Fox release and follow-up to the highly successful BELLE STARR.COMMENT: A-grade western with an exciting script by W.R. Burnett (author of Little Caesar and The Asphalt Jungle) and direction by Lesley Selander that is far more slick and stylish than his usual standard. There's plenty of action and the pace is fast. Rod Cameron and Fred Libby contribute interesting character portrayals. Ruth Roman fills the title role quite agreeably, while George Montgomery lends some skilful horsemanship to the climactic chase. (A pity that his fist fight with Jack Lambert is so obviously staged with doubles). The supporting cast is strong and production values, including the atmospheric photography by William Sickner, excellent.
alexandre michel liberman (tmwest)
Whoever lived through the old westerns will remember how we were always looking forwards to break the clichés, to see something different. The movies used to flirt with us specially in the trailers, by making the heroes seem to be bad. But there was always a catch, and at the end all would go back to the standard plot. Perhaps this explains why I felt thrilled seeing the pretty Ruth Roman being a bandit and at a certain point wearing the handkerchief mask. Whoever would not recognize her without the mask would have to be blind! But it was charming, and worth it. I am sure that was part of the trailer. And what about Rod Cameron as the bad guy? That was a great idea and he gives the best performance of all his films that I have seen. I have a certain difficulty to accept George Montgomery's hairstyle popular in the fifties, but awkward in our present days, but he was an OK actor and I always enjoyed his films, specially this one. Belle Starr's daughter is an amazingly well done unpretentious western directed by the efficient Lesley Selander
kidboots
W.R. Burnett was responsible for writing some of the most memorable films in history - "Little Caesar" (1930), "Scarface" (1932), "The Beast of the City" (1932), "High Sierra" (1940) and "The Asphalt Jungle" (1950). He also wrote westerns, of which "Belle Starr's Daughter" is among them.The town of Antioch has made a truce with Belle Starr but a couple of her men have shot up the town and killed the Marshall. When she tries to go to Antioch to repair the damage, her renegade men kill her and also Jim Davis. Belle Starr's daughter, Cimmaron Rose, comes to stay in town and takes exception to the young sheriff (George Montgomery) who, she thinks, killed her mother. Finding a locket he realises that her mother was Belle Starr. Bob (the renegade man) comes back to Antioch and kills Bailey when he threatens to tell the truth about Belle Starr's death. He then convinces Rose that the young sheriff was responsible for her mother's death and she rides off with his gang. Bob shows his true colours when one of his gang is shot.Starring Ruth Roman and George Montgomery - certainly not stars of the first magnitude. The supporting cast are far more interesting. Isabel Jewel is Belle Starr. Her part is small but with all her performances, she packs it with intensity. I am a huge fan of Miss Jewels. Wallace Ford - who was the star of Burnett's "The Beast of the City" (1932) and became a great character actor plays the drunken foreman, Bailey. Kenneth MacDonald who was a fixture in westerns had the small role of Jim Davis. Lane Chandler, who in the 20s was destined for a big career in westerns - but along came Gary Cooper. He spent most of his career playing bit parts and in this film he had the small role of Marshall Evans.
