Cripple Creek

Cripple Creek

"For every man who struck gold - a hundred tried to take it away from him"

It's 1893 and gold is being smuggled out of the country. Instead of stealing gold bars, the outlaws are stealing high grade ore, having it smelted, and then having it plated to look like lead. The Government sends agents Bret and Larry who arrive in Cripple Creek posing as Texas gunfighters. Bret finds the smelting operation and Larry learns of the payoff. But the crooked town Marshal is suspicious of the two men and the reply of his inquiry to Texas exposes them putting their lives in danger.

John Chard@John Chard

January 24, 2014

Undercover Crisis in Cripple Creek.

Cripple Creek is directed by Ray Nazarro and written by Richard Schayer. It stars George Montgomery, Jerome Courtland, Richard Egan, Karin Booth, John Dehner, Don Porter and William Bishop. Music is by Mischa Bakaleinikoff and Technicolor cinematography by William V. Skall.

Two secret service agents go undercover as gunmen in the mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado. Someone has been smuggling gold ore out of the country at a time when gold reserves are critically low.

Harmless, colourful and vigorous, Cripple Creek is solid Western entertainment. It packs a lot into its relatively short running time, with chases, gunfights, robberies and an almighty barroom brawl. The narrative is not without brains, with a healthy mystery element ticking away throughout, and in amongst the shifty shenanigans perpetrated by denizens of Cripple Creek there’s some surprises in store. The acting is the standard fare for such a production, which is ok as the cast all engage with their efforts, while set designs and colour photography score favourably as well. 6.5/10