Rawhide (1951)
Vinnie Holt, a single woman travelling with her toddler niece, becomes stranded at Rawhide, a desert stagecoach way station managed by stationmaster Sam Todd and his assistant Tom Owens. Owens is quickly impressed by Vinnie's independent self-confidence. Rafe Zimmerman, a fugitive murderer from Huntsville Prison disguised as a deputy, and three other ruthless escapees take over the station, intent on robbing the next day's gold shipment. After murdering Sam, Zimmerman knows they must keep Tom alive in order to complete their plans. Owens does not correct Zimmmerman's assumption that Vinnie is his wife, correctly sensing that the misconception might be the key to her survival as well.
A story told with a blazing .44 !
Zimmerman: Tevis has no respect for the dead.
Vinnie Holt: And he just loves the living?
Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA
Lone Pine, California, USA
Olancha, California, USA
(stagecoach run in desert)
Whitney Portal Rd., Lone Pine Canyon, Inyo County, California, USA
(stagecoach run in snow)
During its run on television during the early 1960s, the film was retitled "Desperate Siege" in order to distinguish it from the Eric Fleming and Clint Eastwood television series "Rawhide" (1959).
Everett Sloane was originally cast as Tevis. However, Susan Hayward complained about Sloane's roughness in a scene in which he threw her to the floor, and he was replaced by Jack Elam.
During location work, Tyrone Power took a liking to former bookkeeper turned novice actor Jack Elam and talked 20th Century-Fox boss Darryl F. Zanuck into signing him to a contract, beginning with the Power movie "American Guerrilla in the Philippines" (1950).
Director Henry Hathaway retained the music from his film "Brigham Young" (1940) and also used Tyrone Power and Dean Jagger from that film.
This was Susan Hayward's first film for 20th Century-Fox after Walter Wanger sold her contract to the studio.
Continuity
The driver and shotgun rider of the stage arriving at night know the two station keepers well and while they comment on Edgar Buchanan's absence none of them comments on the fact that Tyrone Powers "wife and daughter" are absent.
Shortly after the night stage leaves Hugh Marlowe is sitting at the dinner table reviewing a sketch that depicts that station's layout. Tyrone Power knocks on his door to get Marlowe's attention so he can get "drinking water". When Marlowe rises to unlock the door the sketch is missing and is not seen again.
When Hugh Marlowe first rides up to the station he is met by Tyrone Power while Edgar Buchanan hides in the tack shed with a rifle pointed in Marlowe's direction. After Tyrone Power tells Buchanan that it's safe to come out he leave the shed without the rifle. Later when Buchanan makes a failed dash to retrieve the rifle it is propped up at the entrance of the tack shed but it was not placed there when Buchanan exited the shed earlier.
Miscellaneous
At around 68 minutes in, Tom is looking through a hole in a wall when, for dramatic effect, the shadow of a person outside falls on the wall. In the next shot, the shadow of the person outside falls in a completely different direction.
Plot holes
During the shootout between Tom and Tevis, many more shots were fired from the three guns (Tom-1 and Tevis-2) than bullets (18). Neither reloaded during the sequence.
Character error
The gang assumes Vinnie is Owens' wife, yet none of them ever notice that neither "Mrs. Owens" or her "husband" is wearing a wedding ring nor ask why they don't have rings.
Owens and the stagecoach masters and passengers should have been immediately suspicious of Zimmerman, as he keeps his "U.S. Marshal badge" in his pocket. Law enforcement officers at the time were required to wear their badges in view.