The Bandit Queen (film)


The Bandit Queen is a 1950 American Western film directed by William Berke. and starring Barbara Britton, Willard Parker and Phillip Reed. as the leaders of a Robin Hood type band.

Plot

Zarra Montalvo is the daughter of an American father and Spanish mother, Don Jose and Zara Montalvo. The Montalvo family possesses land rights or Spanish land grants to a hacienda with gold mines present. Abroad, Zarra comes home to California and witnesses her parents being murdered by Hank and an unknown man, Sheriff Jim Harden. Zarra initially approaches Harden about the crimes but eventually recognizes him as part of the murderers' gang. She joins forces with Joaquin Murietta to regain her rightful inheritance, and together they assume secret identities, with Zarra hidden behind the alias of a Zorro-like character named "Lola Belmont" and Murietta as "Carlos del Rio".
Dan Hinsdale, an attorney, later informs Zarra about his purchase of her family's rancho at a reduced fee because of back taxes owed by Zarra's parents. Zarra seeks the aid of Father Antonio, who along with Murietta is one of the few people to know their dual identities. Father Antonio warns her that her outlaw gang is wanted by the Spanish authority and its soldiers. Upon learning this, "Belmont" and "del Rio" secretly work to regain stolen gold and "land rights" on the behalf of other neighboring rancheros.

Cast

Britton was coached for the film by Marcella Cresney.
The Bandit Queen was produced by Lippert Pictures and shot in the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park as well as the San Fernando Valley. Set near Madera, California during the California Gold Rush, The Bandit Queen is a 70 minute black-and-white movie that was a serial film depiction of Joaquin Murrieta's life. Martha Vickers was initially slated to "play a two-gun gal of the West in her come-back picture" in this movie. This release marked the final "Lippert Studios" film in 1950 with Britton starring in the title role as a Spanish American aristocratic daughter who avenged her parents' deaths in recovering stolen wealth through the use of a bullwhip.

Reception

Critical

The Bandit Queen received the following reviews:
- The Baltimore Afro-American, April 21, 1951.
- The Modesto Bee, February 8, 1959.
- Southeast Missourian, March 22, 1951.
- Times-News '', January 29, 1951.