| Montana Belle | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Allan Dwan |
| Produced by | Howard Welsch |
| Written by | M. Coates Webster and Howard Welsch (story) |
| Starring | Jane Russell |
| Cinematography | Jack A. Marta |
| Editing by | Arthur Roberts |
| Distributed by | RKO |
| Release date(s) | November 1952 |
| Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Montana Belle is a 1952 western film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Jane Russell. The story is a fictionalised biography of Montana outlaw Belle Starr.
Contents |
Oklahoma outlaw Belle Starr meets the Dalton gang when rescued from lynching by Bob Dalton, who falls for her. So do gang member Mac and wealthy saloon owner Tom Bradfield, who's enlisted in a bankers' scheme to trap the Daltons. Dissension among the gang and Bradfield's ambivalence complicate the plot, as Belle demonstrates her prowess with shootin' irons, horses, and as a saloon entertainer.
Shot between late October and late November 1948, this film was intended to be issued by Republic Pictures. In April 1949, Howard Welsch, who had produced the movie for his company, Fidelity Pictures, sold the negative to RKO for $875,000, about $225,000 above the picture's cost. Finally, this Western obtained a Manhattan debut at the Broadway Palace Theatre on November 7, 1952.