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Movies: Wright's Greatest Sorrow

Click here to read the story:

• How and why Wright got into the movie business

• Which movies were actually based on his stories

• Which were based on stories he had never even seen and quickly despised.

Standing, L. to R. (Paymaster), Iron Eyes Cody (Support Actor), Otto Englander (Writer), Guy Madison (Lead), Harry Franklin (Prod.Mgr.)"

Massacre River  (1949)  77 minutes ALLIED 

This movie was begun as a second re-make of When a Man's A Man, produced by Sol Lesser's son, Julian "Bud" Lesser (1915-2005). The name of the movie was changed to Massacre River shortly before release because the story no longer had any relationship to Wright's story.  The movie posters contained no reference to Harold Bell Wright.  

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Rick Gunter, avid Harold  Bell Wright movie collector, forwarded an interesting illustration that Massacre River was called "When a Man's a Man" until shortly before the release date.  "The photo," Rick says, "shows a card of buttons, copyright 1948, that was sold in fabric stores.  On it is a photo of actress Cathy Downs and the caption, 'Appearing in Allied Artists feature, 'When a Man's a Man.'  Cathy Downs never appeared in When a Man's a Man, but she was in Massacre River (1949).  Apparently, this means the marketing people for Allied Artists 'jumped-the-gun' and released marketing items with the movie's working title before it was released."  Rick adds, "I also have a small card (Cracker Jack card?) with a picture of Guy Madison that says 'When a Man's a Man'.  Again, Guy Madison was not in When a Man's a Man, but he did star in Massacre River (1949)."

On this button card they got it right:  "Kathy Downs, Featured in the Allied Artists Picture, "Massacre River" Courtesy Dave Hadsell

Reviews: Neither the New York Times nor Variety had anything complimentary to say about this movie, other than that the title was good.  “Filled with more than a standard complement of standard sagebrush elements, including the United States Cavalry, Indians, cowboys, and a romantic triangle,” said the Times.  “ . . . as original and exciting as a taffy pull.” 

According to Variety, the story centered around an early-west army post and the army’s efforts to keep the Indians in line.  Guy Madison and Rory Calhoun play army officers “who are both in love with the colonel’s daughter, Cathy Downs, but she favors Madison.  Triangle aspects enter when Madison falls for a gambling hall mistress, Carol Mathews, and friends try to patch up his romance with Miss Downs.”  

Neither source says which woman wins the man, but the Times mentions a “climactic raid by a war party of apathetic braves, which liquidates one of the ladies to untangle this snarled romance. . . .” 

In an email message, Julian Lesser commented that not all the reviews were so negative, and promised to send me some other reviews. Unfortunately, Julian passed away at the age of 90 before sending the more positive reviews.

I did, however, find this modern review by Boyd Magers:

"Highly underrated and overlooked Cavalry western, truly Shakespearian tragedy in nature, lust, broken friendships, secret trysts, unrequited love, unexpected death, hatred, revenge ... it’s all here. Three Calvary officers (Guy Madison, Rory Calhoun, Johnny Sands) are assigned to Indian Territory after the Civil War. Both Madison and Calhoun are in love with Sands' sister, Cathy Downs, who eventually agrees to marry Madison. Then Madison falls for shady lady in town Carole Mathews, leaving Downs brokenhearted. When Mathews’ saloon partner (Steve Brodie) tries to force her to sell out to him, Madison kills him during an argument. Madison resigns from the Army and plans to leave with Mathews. Distraught over his sister’s plight, and believing Madison is making a big mistake, Sands tries to change Madison’s mind but, in a scuffle over Mathews, he too is shot and killed. Angered, Calhoun vows to track down and kill Madison, who has now fled into treacherous Indian Territory with Mathews. The final tragic showdown comes in the desert when the three are trapped by marauding Apaches. A real departure from the norm. Well directed by John Rawlins."

Julian provided the following details:

Release: Monogram/Allied Artists
Production: Julian Lesser and Frank Melford: a Windsor production 
Screenplay: Variety says it is an original screenplay by Louis Stevens, but the New York Times says it is a screenplay by Louis Stevens, adapted from the novel by Harold Bell Wright.   

Julian Lesser comments: 

Availability: This movie is usually available from Comet Westerns.