Cattle Queen of Montana (1954) / Tennessee's Partner (1955)

CATTLE QUEEN OF MONTANA: Barbara Stanwyck stars as Barbara Ankrum, the daughter of a Montana cattleman. She and her father drive their large herd of cattle to Buffalo Valley just under the deadline for filing a preemption document. At night, Natchakoa (Anthony Caruso) leads a group of Indians to stampede the horses and kill Barbara's father. Colorados (Lance Fuller), an educated Indian, rescues the unconscious Barbara, and takes her to his village to get medical attention. The tribe is divided among those who want to live in peace with the white man, led by Colorados, and those who would rather fight against the white man's advance, led by Natchakoa. But, in fact, the latter faction is being paid by cattle baron Tom McCord (Gene Evans), who instigated the attack on Ankrum to prevent from filing the preemption contract. With the help of Colorados, Barbara finds evidence of the illegal tactics used by McCord, but not enough to take him to court. But in defiance of McCord and his hired gun Farrell (Ronald Reagan), she settles down on the land with 200 head of cattle that Colorados has helped her to locate. Stanwyck is great in a so-so western shot against the spectacular backdrop of Glacier National Park in Montana.

TENNESSEE'S PARTNER: Allan Dwan's adaptation of a story by Bret Harte, one of his favorite writers, stars John Payne as Tennessee. Tennessee, a professional gambler, has done well in the wagering establishment of "Dutchess" Farnham (Rhonda Fleming), but when gold prospector Clifford (John Mansfield) accuses him of cheating and pulls a gun on him, Cowpoke (Ronald Reagan), a stranger, kills the man. Dutchess gets Tennessee and Cowpoke released from jail, explaining the defensive nature of the shooting, and the two men become friends. However, when he learns that Cowpoke's newly arrived fiancée is Goldie Slater (Coleen Gray), a thief who was one of his former flames, he's nonplussed. He decides to save his friend from the marriage by persuading Goldie to leave Cowpoke and run away with him to San Francisco, where he unburdens her of the $5,000 that Cowpoke has given her. Cowpoke, who's turned to gold-prospecting, vows to kill Tennessee if he ever sees him again. When the gambler returns, Cowpoke beats him up before Tennessee can give him the money, but extends his apologies when he learns the full story. This is a well-made little western, with Payne giving one of his best performances.