The Hanging Tree

The Hanging Tree is a 1959 movie directed by Delmer Daves. Karl Malden took over directing duties for several days when Daves fell ill. The film stars Gary Cooper, Maria Schell, George C. Scott and Malden and is set in the gold fields of Montana during the gold rush of the 1860s and 1870s.

Principal photography was done on location in the Oak Creek Wildlife Area; it is located in the mountains west of Yakima, Washington. The story follows a doctor who saves a criminal from a lynch mob, then learns of the man's past and tries to manipulate him.

This marked the first film of Scott. He and Malden later teamed for 1970's Patton, for which Scott won an Academy Award.

Plot Summary

Joseph Frail -- doctor, gambler, gunslinger -- rides into town looking to set up a business. He passes by the "hanging tree," an old oak with a thick branch over which has been slung a noose.

He rescues Rune, a sluice robber who has been shot, and forces him into indentured servitude.

A stagecoach is robbed and overturned, killing the driver and a male passenger. But the daughter of the male passenger is believed to have survived. A search party is formed, and Elizabeth Mahler is found by the town opportunist "Frenchy."

Due to her burns, blindness and dehydration from overexposure, Elizabeth is moved into the doctor's house to begin her recovery, much to the chagrin of the town's women, who believe she may be paying for her medical care in an illicit fashion.

Frenchy sneaks in under the guise of trying to strike a business deal with Elizabeth, but tries to kiss her. Frail chases Frenchy back to town, beats him up and threatens to kill him. There are many witnesses, including a mad faith healer, Dr. Grubb, who sees Frail's medical practice as a threat.

Elizabeth regains her sight and makes romantic overtures toward Frail. He rejects her. She leaves in a huff, determined to strike it rich as a prospector so that she can pay off Frail and get out from under his control.

She teams up with Rune and Frenchy, who plan to buy a claim and set up a sluice. To get money, she pawns a family heirloom. It is worthless, but Frail tells the pawnbroker to give her however much money she needs. Thus Frail secretly continues to control her.

She finds out and asks Frail why he couldn't respond to her affection. He reveals that his wife had an affair with his own brother. He found them together, both dead, an apparent murder-suicide. In a rage, he burned down their house with their bodies in it. He tells Elizabeth he is "not allowed to forget."

The trio of Elizabeth, Frenchy and Rune strike it rich, finding a "glory hole" of gold under a tree stump. They ride into town as heroes, tossing pieces of gold to the townsfolk. The gaiety quickly turns into a riot. Frenchy takes advantage to attempt to sexually assault Elizabeth. Frail again catches him, and this time kills him. And again, the people in town witness this.

The faith healer incites a mob to lynch Frail. They carry him to the hanging tree and string him up. Rune and Elizabeth rush in carrying their gold and the deed to the claim. Elizabeth offers everything to the townsfolk if they will let Frail live. They assent, and the mob disperses.

Elizabeth feels she has finally paid Frail back. Rune takes the noose off and Frail calls out to Elizabeth to come back.

Cast

• Gary Cooper as Doc Frail
• Karl Malden as Frenchy
• Maria Schell as Elizabeth
• George C. Scott as Grubb
• Ben Piazza as Rune

External links

• The Hanging Tree at the Internet Movie Database