Nevada ** (1944, Robert Mitchum, Anne Jeffreys, Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams, Richard Martin) – Classic Movie Review 11,506

The 27-year-old Robert Mitchum has his first lead role as Jim Lacy in director Edward Killy’s 1944 RKO Radio Pictures B-Western movie Nevada, based on a Zane Grey’s popular novel. Mitchum is billed as ‘Introducing Bob Mitchum as Jim Lacy’ but this was not his first movie.

It also stars Anne Jeffreys, Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams and Richard Martin, who also plays sidekick Chito Rafferty in 30 other Westerns, most of which starred screen cowboy Tim Holt, who had joined up in World War Two when Nevada was made.

The film is written by Norman Houston, and is a remake of the 1927 silent film Nevada starring Gary Cooper, Thelma Todd and William Powell.

Jim ‘Nevada’ Lacy (Mitchum) wins a small fortune of $7000 at craps. Gold prospecting ranch owner Ben Ide (Larry Wheat) takes the money and sets off to buy mining equipment, but Cash Burridge (Craig Reynolds) gets his man Joe Powell (Harry Woods) to kill Ide and recover the money. Nevada finds Ide and the money, and is arrested, and Burridge gets Powell to get the locals to lynch Nevada.

The stars are Robert Mitchum (billed as Bob Mitchum) as Nevada Lacy, Anne Jeffreys as Julie Dexter, Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams as Dusty, Nancy Gates as Hattie Ide, Richard Martin as Chito Rafferty, Larry Wheat as Ben Ide, Harry Woods as Joe Powell and Craig Reynolds as Cash Burridge.

It was shot at Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California.

Mitchum was on his way to better things, A-list dramas, and was replaced by James Warren in his RKO debut in the 1945 Western film Wanderer of the Wasteland.

Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,506

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