Sierra is a 1950 American Western film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Wanda Hendrix, Audie Murphy and Burl Ives.[2] The film was based on the 1937 novel The Mountains Are My Kingdom by Stuart Hardy.

Sierra
Directed byAlfred E. Green
Written byMilton Gunzberg (additional dialogue)
Screenplay byEdna Anhalt
Based onThe Mountains Are My Kingdom
1937 novel
by Stuart Hardy
Produced byMichael Kraike
StarringWanda Hendrix
Audie Murphy
Burl Ives
Dean Jagger
CinematographyRussell Metty
Edited byTed J. Kent
Music byWalter Scharf
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Universal Pictures
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • June 1, 1950 (1950-06-01)
Running time
83 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$620,000-$850,000 (est).[1]

Plot

edit

Jeff Hassard (Dean Jagger) and his son Ring (Audie Murphy) lead an isolated existence in the mountains breaking horses, because Jeff is wanted for a murder he did not commit. Their lives are interrupted when they stumble upon a young woman lawyer, Riley (Wanda Hendrix). When Jeff is injured, Ring has to go into town to get help.

Cast

edit

Production

edit

Wanda Hendrix was billed over Audie Murphy in the credits. They were married when the film was made, however their marriage was short and tumultuous, and the two were separated before the film was even released. According to various interviews and articles on the film, Murphy was suffering from what would eventually come to be known as post-traumatic stress disorder, which resulted in his often erratic and unpredictable behavior.

Parts of the film were shot in Kanab Canyon, Aspen Mirror Lake, Duck Creek, Cascade Falls, and Cedar Breaks in Utah.[3]: 288 

References

edit
  1. ^ "U's $1,470,000 Average Prod Cost Pared to 740G Per Pic in 49". Variety. April 27, 1949. p. 6.
  2. ^ Sierra at Audie Murphy Memorial Site
  3. ^ D'Arc, James V. (2010). When Hollywood came to town: A history of moviemaking in Utah (1st ed.). Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith. ISBN 9781423605874.
edit