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Green Grass of Wyoming

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Green Grass of Wyoming
Theatrical release poster
Directed byLouis King
Screenplay byMartin Berkeley
Based onGreen Grass of Wyoming
1946 novel
by Mary O'Hara
Produced byRobert Bassler
StarringPeggy Cummins
Charles Coburn
Robert Arthur
CinematographyCharles G. Clarke
Edited byNick DeMaggio
Music byCyril J. Mockridge
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
20th Century Fox
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • June 3, 1948 (1948-06-03)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2 million[1]
Box office$2.1 million (US rentals)[2]

Green Grass of Wyoming is a 1948 American Western film directed by Louis King and starring Peggy Cummins, Charles Coburn and Robert Arthur.

The screenplay, written by Martin Berkeley, is based on the third book in the popular, "My Friend Flicka" trilogy, written by Mary O'Hara.[3] The film follows the further adventures of the McLaughlin family who live on a horse ranch in Wyoming. Marilyn Monroe appeared as an uncredited extra.

The original cast from the first two films did not reprise their roles in the third.

Plot

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Horse owner Beaver Greenway is angry when Thunderhead, the white stallion that owner Ken McLaughlin freed some years earlier, has taken another of his mares. Greenway confronts Ken's father, Rob, at the Goose Bar Ranch. Rob organizes other ranchers to hunt for Thunderhead who, like his grandsire the Albino before him, has stolen many mares from many ranches.

Meanwhile, Ken returns to the ranch from a horse-selling trip but, to Rob's displeasure, has used the profits to buy a trotter race horse named Crown Jewel. After his initial skepticism, Rob allows the mare to be trained for harness racing. One night, Thunderhead appears at the ranch and runs off with Crown Jewell. The next day, Rob leads a search party to find Crown Jewell and shoot Thunderhead. They locate and round-up Thunderhead's herd, but the stallion and Crown Jewel escape. Ken finds the pair and persuades Thunderhead to return to the ranch for good.

When Crown Jewel develops altitude sickness from living in the Wyoming hills, a veterinarian advises putting her down due to congested lungs; Greenway recommends an old-fashioned treatment that works. Meanwhile, Ken and Greenway's granddaughter, Carey develop a romance.

Once Crown Jewel is fully recovered and trained, she is entered in the Governor's Cup sweepstakes in Ohio. Greenway, a former sulky driver is also competing with his own horse, Sundance. Ken drives Crown Jewel who is leading but breaks stride during the race, disqualifying her. Sundance and Greenway win the race. However, all the McLaughlins are proud of Crown Jewel's effort, particularly upon learning she is in foal and Thunderhead is the sire.[4]

Cast

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Production

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Parts of the film were shot in Strawberry Valley, Three Lakes, Kanab Race Track, Rockville Road, Panguitch Lake, and Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah.[5]: 288 

The final race during the last 18 minutes of the film was filmed in Lancaster, Ohio at the Fairfield County Fair Grounds.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Variety 18 February 1948 p7
  2. ^ "Top Grossers of 1948", Variety, 5 January 1949, p 46
  3. ^ "Green Grass of Wyoming (1948): Full Cast & Crew - Writing Credits". IMDb. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  4. ^ the book itself
  5. ^ D'Arc, James V. (2010). When Hollywood came to town: A history of moviemaking in Utah (1st ed.). Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith. ISBN 9781423605874.
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