Review of The Baron of Arizona (1950) by Alex S — 21 Mar 2008

In his second feature writer/director Sam Fuller seems to still be working out his approach to filmmaking. Much like his first feature I Shot Jesse James, this picture depicts a bit of history that is relatively unknown. However, unlike his first film, which de-mythologized the fanciful historical portraits of western anti-heros, this film takes more of a journalistic approach in it's storytelling by stating the facts and how they were achieved and bypassing any real social commentary.

The film still does tell an engaging story though, and Vincent Price is terrific as John Addison Reavis, the man who went to the most extraordinary lengths to claim that he and his wife were the rightful owners of the territory of Arizona.