If you’re a fan of old-school Westerns, you’ve probably noticed that some movies get all the glory while others just sort of fade into the background. Most people talk about The Searchers or High Noon, but there’s this weirdly aggressive, fast-paced little flick from 1950 called Colt .45 that deserves a second look. Honestly, it’s not just another "cowboy shoots the bad guy" story. It’s basically a 74-minute commercial for a gun, yet it manages to be one of the more intense films in Randolph Scott’s massive filmography.
The Colt .45 1950 Movie Plot: It's a Wild Ride
The setup is pretty simple, but it gets complicated fast. Randolph Scott plays Steve Farrell. He’s a gun salesman—not exactly the most heroic job on paper—who is trying to pitch the brand-new Colt .45 repeating pistols to a sheriff in Red Rock.
Everything goes sideways when a prisoner named Jason Brett (played by Zachary Scott, no relation to Randolph) escapes, kills the sheriff with Farrell’s own demonstration guns, and vanishes.
The townspeople, being a bit quick to judge, throw Farrell in jail because they think he was in on the escape. By the time he gets out, Brett has spent four months using those high-powered pistols to terrorize the countryside. Farrell has to track him down to get his guns back and, more importantly, clear his name. It’s a classic "wrongly accused man" trope, but with a lot more gunpowder.
Why the Villain Steals the Show
Zachary Scott’s performance as Jason Brett is... well, it’s a bit unhinged.
While Randolph Scott is his usual stoic, "man of few words" self, Zachary Scott plays Brett like a man who has just discovered fire for the first time. He treats those two Colt .45s like they give him god-like powers.
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In a world where everyone else is using single-shot pistols or slow-loading rifles, having two six-shooters makes him feel invincible. Behind the scenes, Zachary Scott was actually going through a messy divorce at the time—his wife had just left him for the writer John Steinbeck—and you can kind of see that real-life frustration in his wild-eyed performance. Jack Warner reportedly hated it, but for modern viewers, it makes the character way more interesting than your standard mustache-twirling villain.
A Surprising Twist on Social Roles
For a movie made in 1950, Colt .45 takes some risks that you wouldn't expect.
Usually, in these mid-century "oaters," Native Americans are the faceless antagonists. Not here. Farrell ends up teaming up with a Chief named Walking Bear (played by Chief Thundercloud). The movie actually portrays the indigenous characters as the "good guys" who are being framed by the white outlaws.
Is it perfect? No. They still speak in that stereotypical "broken English" that was common in Hollywood back then. But the fact that they are Farrell’s primary allies and the moral compass of the film was pretty progressive for the time.
Ruth Roman and the "No Damsel" Energy
Then you’ve got Ruth Roman playing Beth Donovan.
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She isn't just sitting around waiting to be rescued. At one point, she literally uses dynamite to blow herself out of a shed where she’s being held captive.
The dynamic between her and her husband, Paul (played by a young Lloyd Bridges), is actually pretty dark. She thinks he’s an innocent victim of the gang, but he’s actually a greedy coward who’s fully leaning into the crime spree. When she finds out the truth, things get ugly. It’s a level of domestic tension you don't always see in these budget-friendly Westerns.
The Technical Stuff: Real Guns and Day-for-Night
One thing that gun nerds love about the Colt .45 1950 movie is the hardware.
The pistols shown aren't cheap props. They are First Model Colt Dragoons. Since the movie was filmed in 1950, and they didn't really do high-quality reproductions back then, it’s very likely these were actual 19th-century antiques being handled on set.
Director Edwin L. Marin, who worked with Randolph Scott on several films, keeps the pace breakneck. There’s almost no "dead air." However, you will notice some "day-for-night" shooting. That’s when they film a scene in broad daylight but use a dark filter to pretend it's nighttime. It looks a little goofy on modern 4K TVs, but it was the industry standard for keeping costs down back in the day.
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How to Watch and What to Look For
If you want to track this one down, it’s often bundled in "Randolph Scott Western" DVD collections or shows up on TCM (Turner Classic Movies). It was reissued under the title Thundercloud for a while, so you might find it listed that way too.
Keep an eye out for:
- The Stagecoach Fight: Randolph Scott doing his own stunts (or a very convincing double) jumping onto a moving stage.
- The Dynamite Scene: Watch Beth Donovan show more grit than most of the male supporting cast.
- The Final Showdown: It’s a classic shootout in the town of Bonanza Creek that doesn't disappoint.
Actionable Next Steps for Western Fans
If you enjoy the Colt .45 1950 movie, you should check out the TV series that followed in 1957. It stars Wayde Preston as Christopher Colt (the "cousin" of the movie's protagonist). While the movie is a standalone story, the TV show turns the "gun salesman/undercover agent" concept into a long-running procedural.
Also, look for Fort Worth (1951). It’s the next collaboration between Randolph Scott and director Edwin L. Marin. It carries over a lot of the same energy and "law and order" themes.
To truly appreciate the history, look up the specs of the Colt Dragoon. Understanding that these guns were massive, heavy, and a total game-changer in the 1840s makes Jason Brett's obsession with them in the movie make a lot more sense. He didn't just have a gun; he had the 19th-century equivalent of a cheat code.
Historical Context Note: While the film is set around 1847, it takes some creative liberties with how common these firearms were. In reality, the "Colt .45" Peacemaker (the gun most people associate with the name) didn't arrive until 1873. The movie is technically showcasing the transition from older black powder weapons to the early repeating models, which is why everyone in the film acts like they've never seen anything like it before.