Paramount has a fast-paced drama in this underrated, colorful western that has Union and Rebel soldiers clashing after the close of the Civil War. Alan Ladd stars as a rebel sympathizer and point man for General Quantrell who wants to carve out territory for the Confederacy in Colorado with the aid of wild Indian tribes. John Ireland, in one of his best roles, plays the renegade Southern general and Brett Sherwood and Quantrell remain on a collision course that results in a thrilling face-off in the film's final moments. The movie has plenty of shootings, claim-jumping, a lynching scene, Indian fights and a dusty, noisy battle where the soldiers fight at close quarters in well-staged cavalry action. Lizabeth Scott is good as Ladd's romantic interest as is Arthur Kennedy, always good at playing compromised characters. A solid cast of western supporting actors is on hand to keep the story moving at a good clip. Camera work and Franz Waxman's music are good.
10 Reviews
Quantrill's Agenda
bkoganbing26 April 2011
Red Mountain comes at a point in Alan Ladd's career when he was starting to get known as a western star as well as a noir star. This was the third western he had done after Whispering Smith and Branded. The same year of 1951 he also made Shane, but Paramount held up its release for two years. And he and agent/wife Sue Carol made the decision to leave Paramount around this time. It turned out to be his worst career move.
But doing Red Mountain was far from that. Ladd plays a Confederate officer who in the dying days of the Civil War goes west to join Quantrill's Raiders. He's one Southerner not looking to be reconstructed. But along the way he kills a government assayer and Arthur Kennedy gets blamed for the crime who is also a Confederate veteran. Ladd rescues him from a lynch mob and Kennedy and wife Lizabeth Scott go along with him to join Quantrill. Along the way Kennedy breaks his leg.
Arriving at Quantrill's camp at Red Mountain, the three of them discover that John Ireland as Quantrill has an agenda all his own that has nothing to do with the Confederate States of America. He's setting himself up with an alliance of Indian tribes as a new western emperor. Similar in many ways to Jeff Chandler's character in The Jayhawkers. His ally is Ute chief Jay Silverheels and Quantrill think the Indians fight best in their own established way which doesn't sit well with Ladd.
Quantrill is an interesting figure and none of the Hollywood movies have ever gotten him quite right. Such people as Walter Pidgeon, Brian Donlevy and now John Ireland have played him as one bloodthirsty individual. In Red Mountain he's the deepest dyed kind of villain and quite pretentious as well.
The film was shot on location in Gallup, New Mexico and the battle scenes are well done and the pace from director William Dieterle is a good one. Red Mountain is a good western made at a time when the western was maturing in Hollywood.
But doing Red Mountain was far from that. Ladd plays a Confederate officer who in the dying days of the Civil War goes west to join Quantrill's Raiders. He's one Southerner not looking to be reconstructed. But along the way he kills a government assayer and Arthur Kennedy gets blamed for the crime who is also a Confederate veteran. Ladd rescues him from a lynch mob and Kennedy and wife Lizabeth Scott go along with him to join Quantrill. Along the way Kennedy breaks his leg.
Arriving at Quantrill's camp at Red Mountain, the three of them discover that John Ireland as Quantrill has an agenda all his own that has nothing to do with the Confederate States of America. He's setting himself up with an alliance of Indian tribes as a new western emperor. Similar in many ways to Jeff Chandler's character in The Jayhawkers. His ally is Ute chief Jay Silverheels and Quantrill think the Indians fight best in their own established way which doesn't sit well with Ladd.
Quantrill is an interesting figure and none of the Hollywood movies have ever gotten him quite right. Such people as Walter Pidgeon, Brian Donlevy and now John Ireland have played him as one bloodthirsty individual. In Red Mountain he's the deepest dyed kind of villain and quite pretentious as well.
The film was shot on location in Gallup, New Mexico and the battle scenes are well done and the pace from director William Dieterle is a good one. Red Mountain is a good western made at a time when the western was maturing in Hollywood.
Not a classic, but worth catching
hildacrane8 November 2005
This one is good, but not great, although it had a lot going for it: beautiful color photography of the Southwest, fine Franz Waxman score (somewhat reminiscent of the one he did a year earlier for The Furies, another and superior western), good-lucking leads--two diminutive blonds, both of whom are enjoyably minimal in their expressiveness. However, they do not have quite the chemistry that Ladd had with Veronica Lake, another diminutive blonde. In addition, the script could be a little more inventive, but its slant on the actual historical figure of Quantrell is interesting, and John Ireland makes the most of his part. So the film never quite catches fire the way that The Furies does--and in moody black and white--but it's certainly worth a look.
Very Watchable Western
jromanbaker5 March 2021
I can watch both Alan Ladd and Lizabeth Scott in anything, but to my knowledge this is the only film that paired them up. In fact without minute checking I believe it is, and they are unlikely as possible lovers, and without spoiling the plot the question of that consummation is left dangling. What happens in between that possibility is a rugged Western set in a rocky landscape and it is a pity it was not made a few years later when Cinemascope was in its beginnings. That quibble put aside both Ladd and Scott give good performances and basically this is a Native American fight against the background of the American Civil war as it drew towards its close.
Historically I am ignorant of the facts of that ending, but according to the film you get the impression that Ladd ends the war almost single handed versus the last of the Confederates. Judged simply as film the improbable situations work and suspense is held all the way through. I prefer the UK title of ' Red Mountain ' to its American title, and given the amount of action and in your face action at that, as if rehearing for the imminent arrival of films in 3-D, it is never boring. I saw it many years ago and liked it and thought it was lost until it showed up on UK television. By the amount of reviews it has not been seen by many, so catch it when you can. Ladd was at the time at his peak and ' Shane ' his finest Western was waiting in the wings, and although his acting is not top notch his presence is and he deserved his popular appeal from the last part of the 1940's to the late 1950's. Nobody alive now who was a child then will forget his escapist films, and ' Red Mountain ' is high up there in its position of being pure, basic and fun to watch cinema.
" Alan Ladd And Lizabeth Scott Looking Good "
PamelaShort23 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Red Mountain is one of those films that has a complex plot but is packed full of gritty action. The good acting delivered by Alan Ladd, Lizabeth Scott, Arthur Kennedy and John Ireland help to pull this story along at a sufficient pace. Arthur Kennedy and Lizabeth Scott play a couple who end up at the mercy of Alan Ladd for their survival, caught in a mountain cave. Ladd plays an out for himself only character at first. Then enters General Quantrel ( John Ireland ) with his raiders and a group of savage wild Indians. Scott now must fight off the advances from one of Quantrel's overly amorous men, while Kennedy looks on helplessly with a very badly broken leg. Meanwhile, Ladd who was once a supporter of Quantrel, soon becomes disillusioned with the deranged General's ideas and decides to foil his evil schemes. Throw in some sexual tension between Ladd and Scott, a lynching scene, a battle scene, plenty of shooting and beautiful scenery and watch all the action played out in this not a classic, but still very entertaining film. A great movie for fans of Alan Ladd and Lizabeth Scott, who both look fabulous in colour.
Strong cast but disappointing
Marlburian5 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A 1950s Western of which I had been unaware with a strong cast - so I eagerly sat down to watch it. But it was disappointing. I was unimpressed with how the Quantrill story, was adapted to the film's plot and there were the usual shortcomings of Westerns made in this decade - an instant romance, characters remaining clean-shaved despite days of privation, an implausible happy ending, and crude back projection. At least it was in colour and there was plenty of action.
One of Alan Ladd's least impressive films, though worth a footnote in that, unusually, his character transgresses the code of good conduct and fair play expected of a Westerns hero of the 1950s.
One of Alan Ladd's least impressive films, though worth a footnote in that, unusually, his character transgresses the code of good conduct and fair play expected of a Westerns hero of the 1950s.
Big cast average picture
maloney-p5 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Very average movie considering the star cast line up. As many other Westerns the storyline was quite weak. A possible inconsistency at the end of the movie when the Captain or Alan Ladd gets shot in the left upper chest shoulder the following scene shows he has a sling on the right arm.
Red Mountain
Oslo_Jargo21 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
*Plot and ending analyzed*
Red Mountain (1951) has some nice color in it, and the New Mexico landscape is lovely, but it's about an average Western.
An assayer gets shot by someone at the start. The town blames a noted Confederate soldier (Arthur Kennedy) and tries to hang him but is saved by Alan Ladd (Shane (1953), Branded (1950)). They develop a strange relationship, whereby sometimes they try to kill each other, and at others, try to save each other.
The scenery is beautiful but there's too much concentration on the cave scene. It takes up the entirety of the film. Alan Ladd was waiting for Confederate General William Quantrill to arrive, which he does so, dressed as Union Cavalry, accompanied by Ute Indians, who are fighting against the Union.
Arthur Kennedy also knows where some gold is hidden, thus Confederate General William Quantrill wants to get at him. Alan Ladd then doesn't approve of Quantrill's tactics and helps Arthur Kennedy and Lizabeth Scott.
They all hide in the cave and Quantrill and his Indians are camped outside. Ute Indians can't take the cave, either can Quantrill's (John Ireland) soldiers. It's manned by an injured Arthur Kennedy and Lizabeth Scott, who seem to be great shooters. I think they prolonged the cave scene too much.
In all, the film is about average, with the likable Alan Ladd acting fine. Familiar faces like Jeff Corey as Skee, Jay Silverheels as Little Crow, Iron Eyes Cody, and Neville Brand as Dixon hardly get any time on screen.
*Plot and ending analyzed*
Red Mountain (1951) has some nice color in it, and the New Mexico landscape is lovely, but it's about an average Western.
An assayer gets shot by someone at the start. The town blames a noted Confederate soldier (Arthur Kennedy) and tries to hang him but is saved by Alan Ladd (Shane (1953), Branded (1950)). They develop a strange relationship, whereby sometimes they try to kill each other, and at others, try to save each other.
The scenery is beautiful but there's too much concentration on the cave scene. It takes up the entirety of the film. Alan Ladd was waiting for Confederate General William Quantrill to arrive, which he does so, dressed as Union Cavalry, accompanied by Ute Indians, who are fighting against the Union.
Arthur Kennedy also knows where some gold is hidden, thus Confederate General William Quantrill wants to get at him. Alan Ladd then doesn't approve of Quantrill's tactics and helps Arthur Kennedy and Lizabeth Scott.
They all hide in the cave and Quantrill and his Indians are camped outside. Ute Indians can't take the cave, either can Quantrill's (John Ireland) soldiers. It's manned by an injured Arthur Kennedy and Lizabeth Scott, who seem to be great shooters. I think they prolonged the cave scene too much.
In all, the film is about average, with the likable Alan Ladd acting fine. Familiar faces like Jeff Corey as Skee, Jay Silverheels as Little Crow, Iron Eyes Cody, and Neville Brand as Dixon hardly get any time on screen.
Ladd plays unlikely murderer/Confederate in Union uniform
adrianovasconcelos25 September 2023
I quite like Director William Dieterle's work. He first impressed me with PORTRAIT OF JENNIE (1948), a rather whimsical love story, and SEPTEMBER AFFAIR (1950) only confirmed in my mind his penchant for directing love stories with a sensitive touch.
Of course, RED MOUNTAIN does have a love angle, too, which ultimately symbolizes the union of North and South, for the US to become one nation. But it involves a triangle: Ladd, playing Captain Sherwood, carries a torch for lovely Lizabeth Scott... pity that she is married to Arthur Kennedy!
The film opens with the murder of an assayer weighing gold on a scale. The assailant's face is not shown but by the short steps I had an inknling as to the killer's identity: "Nah, can't be Ladd!" - I thought - "He doesn't sneak up on unsuspecting souls and ice them so coldly!"
How wrong I was, but then nothing in RED MOUNTAIN really pans out normally: Ladd is a Confederate, but you do not see him in Confederate uniform, only in Union colors as he saves Kennedy from hanging and for a while you do not know why he does it, until you learn that he was the real finder of the gold motherlode. That ain't all, either: This Ladd is a real bad lad!, thick as thieves with scheming Confederate General Quantrill until the latter reveals his real hand and his nefarious plans with the Indians.
Unfortunately, that denouement involves a deluge of talking, with repeated situations where Ladd saves Kennedy, Kennedy saves Ladd, Scott also saves them. Finally, Ladd realizes that Quantrill is a criminal. As the old saying prior to the 5th amendment had it, a criminal who kills a criminal deserves 100-year pardon.
Such is the dubious moral standard embodied against type by Ladd, normally a standup guy.
Pleasant cinematography, mediocre script. 5/10.
Of course, RED MOUNTAIN does have a love angle, too, which ultimately symbolizes the union of North and South, for the US to become one nation. But it involves a triangle: Ladd, playing Captain Sherwood, carries a torch for lovely Lizabeth Scott... pity that she is married to Arthur Kennedy!
The film opens with the murder of an assayer weighing gold on a scale. The assailant's face is not shown but by the short steps I had an inknling as to the killer's identity: "Nah, can't be Ladd!" - I thought - "He doesn't sneak up on unsuspecting souls and ice them so coldly!"
How wrong I was, but then nothing in RED MOUNTAIN really pans out normally: Ladd is a Confederate, but you do not see him in Confederate uniform, only in Union colors as he saves Kennedy from hanging and for a while you do not know why he does it, until you learn that he was the real finder of the gold motherlode. That ain't all, either: This Ladd is a real bad lad!, thick as thieves with scheming Confederate General Quantrill until the latter reveals his real hand and his nefarious plans with the Indians.
Unfortunately, that denouement involves a deluge of talking, with repeated situations where Ladd saves Kennedy, Kennedy saves Ladd, Scott also saves them. Finally, Ladd realizes that Quantrill is a criminal. As the old saying prior to the 5th amendment had it, a criminal who kills a criminal deserves 100-year pardon.
Such is the dubious moral standard embodied against type by Ladd, normally a standup guy.
Pleasant cinematography, mediocre script. 5/10.
Exciting outdoor western
coltras3523 June 2021
Colorado territory: 1865. The American Civil War is drawing to a close. But on both sides hatred dies hard. Two men and a woman are caught up in these lawless days of murder and greed. Divided among themselves they face a common enemy: a gang of guerrilla raiders - led by the dreaded General Quantrell.
Red Mountain is an action western gem, its pulse voraciously ticking with vibrancy, the locations are not just stunning but play a part in hiking up the suspense that culminates in shootouts. It also contains some striking images: the close-up shot of spurs in the opening shot, the attempted lynching and Quantrill's hideout. Characterisation is solid - Alan Ladd is at the peak of his career, expertly balancing between good and grey areas, John Ireland eating up the scenery as the infamous rascal Quantrill, and Arthur Kennedy doing a good job, so is Lizabeth Scott as the love interest.
This exciting western, which I had seen many times on UK TV, ends with a brilliant showdown between Ladd and Ireland out in the open space, charging at each other with guns blazing .
Red Mountain is an action western gem, its pulse voraciously ticking with vibrancy, the locations are not just stunning but play a part in hiking up the suspense that culminates in shootouts. It also contains some striking images: the close-up shot of spurs in the opening shot, the attempted lynching and Quantrill's hideout. Characterisation is solid - Alan Ladd is at the peak of his career, expertly balancing between good and grey areas, John Ireland eating up the scenery as the infamous rascal Quantrill, and Arthur Kennedy doing a good job, so is Lizabeth Scott as the love interest.
This exciting western, which I had seen many times on UK TV, ends with a brilliant showdown between Ladd and Ireland out in the open space, charging at each other with guns blazing .
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
