Alvarez Kelly
Encyclopedia
Alvarez Kelly is a 1966 war film
set in the American Civil War
. It starred William Holden
and Richard Widmark
. The film was based on the real-life Beefsteak Raid
of September 1864.
) is contracted to deliver a herd to the Union Army
in Virginia
. However, as he nears the end of his long cattle drive
, Kelly is kidnapped by Confederate
raiders led by Colonel Tom Rossiter (Richard Widmark
). The Confederacy desperately needs the beef to feed its soldiers besieged in Richmond
.
Kelly is "persuaded" (after having one of his fingers shot off by Rossiter) to help steal the herd. For revenge, he arranges passage for Rossiter's discontented Southern belle fiancée, Liz Pickering (Janice Rule
), on a blockade runner
leaving the city. Despite the hatred between the two men, they manage to work together. Kelly first teaches Rossiter's men how to drive cattle. Then, they proceed to capture and transport the herd, despite the efforts of Union officer Major Albert Stedman (Patrick O'Neal).
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
set in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It starred William Holden
William Holden
William Holden was an American actor. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1954 and the Emmy Award for Best Actor in 1974...
and Richard Widmark
Richard Widmark
Richard Weedt Widmark was an American film, stage and television actor.He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, Kiss of Death...
. The film was based on the real-life Beefsteak Raid
Beefsteak Raid
The Beefsteak Raid was a Confederate cavalry raid that took place in September 1864 as part of the Siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War. Confederate Maj. Gen...
of September 1864.
Plot
Cattleman Alvarez Kelly (William HoldenWilliam Holden
William Holden was an American actor. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1954 and the Emmy Award for Best Actor in 1974...
) is contracted to deliver a herd to the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. However, as he nears the end of his long cattle drive
Cattle drives in the United States
Cattle drives were a major economic activity in the American west, particularly between the years 1866-1886, when 20 million cattle were herded from Texas to railheads in Kansas for shipments to stockyards in Chicago and points east...
, Kelly is kidnapped by Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
raiders led by Colonel Tom Rossiter (Richard Widmark
Richard Widmark
Richard Weedt Widmark was an American film, stage and television actor.He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, Kiss of Death...
). The Confederacy desperately needs the beef to feed its soldiers besieged in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
Kelly is "persuaded" (after having one of his fingers shot off by Rossiter) to help steal the herd. For revenge, he arranges passage for Rossiter's discontented Southern belle fiancée, Liz Pickering (Janice Rule
Janice Rule
-Early life and career:Born in Norwood, Ohio, her career included stage, screen and television work. Rule studied ballet and began dancing in Chicago nightclubs in her teens. She soon attracted attention in Hollywood and made her film debut in 1951...
), on a blockade runner
Blockade runner
A blockade runner is usually a lighter weight ship used for evading a naval blockade of a port or strait, as opposed to confronting the blockaders to break the blockade. Very often blockade running is done in order to transport cargo, for example to bring food or arms to a blockaded city...
leaving the city. Despite the hatred between the two men, they manage to work together. Kelly first teaches Rossiter's men how to drive cattle. Then, they proceed to capture and transport the herd, despite the efforts of Union officer Major Albert Stedman (Patrick O'Neal).
See also
- William HoldenWilliam HoldenWilliam Holden was an American actor. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1954 and the Emmy Award for Best Actor in 1974...
as Alvarez Kelly - Richard WidmarkRichard WidmarkRichard Weedt Widmark was an American film, stage and television actor.He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, Kiss of Death...
as Colonel Tom Rossiter - Janice RuleJanice Rule-Early life and career:Born in Norwood, Ohio, her career included stage, screen and television work. Rule studied ballet and began dancing in Chicago nightclubs in her teens. She soon attracted attention in Hollywood and made her film debut in 1951...
as Liz Pickering - Patrick O'Neal as Major Albert Steadman
- Victoria Shaw as Charity Warwick
- Roger C. CarmelRoger C. CarmelRoger Charles Carmel was an American actor.Of his hundreds of roles, he is best remembered for playing the flamboyant and hapless criminal Harry Mudd on the original Star Trek. Other memorable roles include the accountant Doug Wesley on The Dick Van Dyke Show and Colonel Gumm on Batman...
as Captain Angus Ferguson, a blockade runner - Richard RustRichard RustRichard Rust was an American actor of stage, television, and film born in Boston, Massachusetts, probably best remembered for his role as a young lawyer in NBC's Sam Benedict series. Rust's mother died when he was five, and his father was an officer in the United States Navy...
as Sergeant Hatcher - Arthur FranzArthur FranzArthur Franz was a B-movie actor whose most notable role was as Lieutenant, Junior Grade H. Paynter, Jr. in The Caine Mutiny. He also appeared in Roseanna McCoy , Invaders from Mars , Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man and The Unholy Wife , among others...
as Capt. Towers - Don 'Red' Barry as Lt. Farrow (as Donald Barry)
- Duke Hobbie as John Beaurider
- Harry Carey Jr. as Cpl. Peterson
- Howard CaineHoward CaineHoward Caine , was a popular character actor, probably best known as Gestapo agent Major Wolfgang Hochstetter in the television series Hogan's Heroes....
as McIntyre - Mauritz Hugo as Ely Harrison
- Barry AtwaterBarry AtwaterGarrett "Barry" Atwater was an American character actor who appeared frequently on TV from the 1950s into the 1970s...
as Gen. Kautz (as G.B. Atwater) - Robert MorganRobert MorganRobert Knight Morgan was a United States Air Force colonel and pilot, from Asheville, North Carolina, and the commander of the B-17 Flying Fortress Memphis Belle during World War II.-Biography:...
as Capt. Williams