The Spoilers (1955) DVD-R

Starring Anne Baxter, Jeff Chandler, Rory Calhoun, Ray Danton, Barbara Britton, John
McIntire, Carl Benton Reid, Wallace Ford, Raymond Walburn
Directed by Jesse Hibbs

Print: color
Runtime: 84 min.
Genre: western
Print Quality: B

The Spoilers is the fourth and (very likely) last film version of Rex Beach's rugged Alaskan
adventure yarn. Set during the Gold Rush of '98, the film stars Jeff Chandler as mine owner
Roy Glennister, cheated out of his claim by gold commissioner Alex McNamara (Rory
Calhoun). Though Glennister protests, the crooked McNamara has the law on his side.
Saloonkeeper Cherry Malotte (Ann Baxter) constantly shifts her allegiance between
Glennister and McNamara, though eventually she chooses the "right" side. Like all previous
versions of The Spoilers, this one ends with a knock-down, drag-out fight between
Glennister and McNamara—not as realistic, perhaps, as the famous bout between William
Farnum and Tom Santschi in the original 1914 adaptation of The Spoilers, but a heck of a lot
more exciting. Raymond Walburn makes his final film appearance as town inebriate Mr.
Skinner.