ALVAREZ KELLY
DIRECTED BY EDWARD DYMTRYK
PRODUCED BY SOL C. SIEGAL/ RAY DAVID
COLUMBIA PICTURES CORPORATION
Photo with the courtesy of lasbugas
Information from IMDb
Plot Summary
Suave Mexican cattleman Alvarez Kelly has little interest in the Civil War except to make some money.
But after a long drive to deliver cattle to the Unionists he finds himself kidnapped by
Confederate Colonel Tom Rossiter. With his hungry troops surrounded in Richmond
the Colonel intends, one way or the other, to persuade Kelly to help steal the herd
and move it into town.
Written by Jeremy Perkins
Full Cast
William Holden ... Alvarez Kelly
Richard Widmark ... Col. Tom Rossiter
Janice Rule ... Liz Pickering
Patrick O'Neal ... Major Albert Stedman
Victoria Shaw ... Charity Warwick
Roger C. Carmel ... Capt. Angus Ferguson
Richard Rust ... Sergeant Hatcher
Arthur Franz ... Capt. Towers
Don 'Red' Barry ... Lt. Farrow (as Donald Barry)
Duke Hobbie ... John Beaurider
Harry Carey Jr. ... Cpl. Peterson
Howard Caine ... McIntyre
Mauritz Hugo ... Ely Harrison
Barry Atwater ... General Kautz (as G.B. Atwater)
Robert Morgan ... Capt. Williams
Paul Lukather ... Capt. Webster
Stephanie Hill ... Mary Ann
Indus Arthur ... Melinda
Clint Ritchie ... Union Lt.
Ivan Browning ... Waiter (uncredited)
Pepe Callahan ... Pancho (uncredited)
Arlene Charles ... Bordello Girl (uncredited)
Roberto Contreras ... Sanchez (uncredited)
Scatman Crothers ... Bellhop (uncredited)
Boone Dugas ... Extra (uncredited)
Barbara Eaton ... Bordello Girl (uncredited)
Jacqueline Fontaine ... Bordello Girl (uncredited)
Anthony Ghazlo Sr. ... Waiter (uncredited)
Peter Goff ... Union Sentry (uncredited)
Sonya Harrison ... Ellie (uncredited)
Patrick Hawley ... Confederate Officer (uncredited)
Bill Holliday ... Union Lt. Cox (uncredited)
Jerry Leggio ... Telegrapher (uncredited)
Walter Maslow ... Confederate Officer (uncredited)
John McKee ... Finley (uncredited)
Mantan Moreland ... Bartender (uncredited)
Sally Nichols ... Bordello Girl (uncredited)
Joyce Perry ... Bordello Girl (uncredited)
Pedro Regas ... Mexican Manservant (uncredited)
Sherry Staiger ... Geraldine - the Madame (uncredited)
Frank Sully ... Prisoner (uncredited)
Hal Taggart ... Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Jan Watson ... Bordello Girl (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson ... Jailer (uncredited)
James Wood ... Union Officer (uncredited)
Grant Woods ... Captain Freeman (uncredited)
Writing Credits
Franklin Coen (written by)
Elliott Arnold uncredited
Daniel Taradash uncredited
Original Music
Johnny Green
Cinematography
Joseph MacDonald
Trivia
70mm version released in Spain.
William Holden and Richard Widmark became good friends during the production of the film
When Widmark became ill with the flu and was confined to his room
Holden bought him a snare drum because he knew Widmark played the drums.
Widmark later remarked,
"That four months of being constantly together on a film location was the equivalent of
ten or fifteen years of friendship."
Both William Holden and director Edward Dmytryk were concerned about the script of the film
before production even began.
At one point during filming, Holden, who was hung-over and dealing with an unruly horse,
became angry and tried shoving the script up the horse's rear, yelling,
"That's where it belongs!"
Production was shut down for six months when William Holden contracted salmonella,
and the film had to be finished in Hollywood.
While dining in Baton Rouge, William Holden and Richard Widmark ran into Steve McQueen,
who was filming Nevada Smith in the same area. McQueen and Holden
wound up drinking together the rest of the evening.
This was based upon the actual "Beefsteak Raid" of September 14-16, 1864.
Goofs
Factual errors
The artillery pieces used are standard cannons (smoothbore guns) and not howitzers.
Howitzers have short barrels, and are angled upwards like a modern mortar.
Revealing mistakes
Despite the firepower of the Union Cavalry at the bridge, not one steer is seen to fall down dead or wounded.
There are fallen cattle seen after the herd has crossed the bridge,
but these are obviously live cattle with their legs tied, as can be seen when they struggle to stand up.
Filming Locations
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Clinton, Louisiana, USA
Watch this Clip
[extendedmedia]
[/extendedmedia]