Cattle Queen of Montana

SYNOPSIS

One of two low-budget westerns made by Barbara Stanwyck - the other was 1956's The Maverick Queen - before she found her glorious late-career stride with such titles as Forty Guns and TV's The Big Valley. Aided by thoughtful direction from the prolific and talented Allan Dwan, this movie now has great curiosity value, in that the leading man is former US president Ronald Reagan, a bland and colourless performer when pitted against screen villains Gene Evans and Jack Elam. The location scenery is very attractive, the action sequences well staged, and Stanwyck as tough as ever: it's a shame the script didn't give her or any of the cast more opportunities. Still, this will pass the time nicely, and teenage girls might discover a useful role model.