The Guns of Fort Petticoat
Encyclopedia
The Guns of Fort Petticoat is a 1957
Technicolor
Western
produced by Harry Joe Brown
and Audie Murphy
for Columbia Pictures
. It was based on the 1955 short story
"Petticoat
Brigade" by Chester William Harrison
(1913-1994) that he expanded into a novelization
for the film's release. It was directed by George Marshall
and filmed at the Iverson Movie Ranch and at Old Tucson. The working title
of the film was Petticoat Brigade; screenwriter and television director Walter Doniger was originally set to have directed the film. The fictional story tells the tale of an Army deserter training a disparate group of women to be Indian Fighters climaxing in a Battle of the Alamo
type action.
, Texan Lt. Frank Hewitt is serving with the U.S. Cavalry in a Regular Army
Regiment
under Colonel John Chivington
. On patrol, Hewitt meets a group of Indians who are unarmed and returning to the Sand Creek reservation they were not supposed to leave. When briefing Col. Chivington, the Colonel orders the Sand Creek Massacre
to punish the Indians.
Hewitt not only disagrees with the punishment of the Indians, but fears they will use the attack as an excuse to unite and spread terror throughout the Southwest, including his own native Texas which has been emptied of the majority of its menfolk who are fighting for the Confederacy
. Colonel Chivington sees Indian attacks on Texas as a bonus to create havoc in the Confederacy. Violently objecting, Hewitt is placed under arrest and confined to quarters.
Hewitt deserts
to warn the Texans. Upon arrival in his home in Texas, he is hated and ignored by his former neighbours who despise him for serving with the Union. No one believes him until he brings the dead body of a woman murdered by Comanche
s who have joined the uprising. Hewitt gathers the population which consist of women and children and one male opportunist, Kettle. Hewitt trains the women in marksmanship, unarmed combat and tactics and organises the armed women as a military platoon
in the safety of an abandoned mission
. Kettle urges the women to ride away but Hewitt stops the plan by driving off all their horses except his own, to be used for scouting.
After being beaten up by Hewitt, Kettle escapes on Hewitt's mount. He is captured by a trio of bandits. One threatens to kill him if he has no money, and another threatens to kill him if he has money but lied that he didn't. Kettle appeals to the bandits' greed by telling them about the mission defended by women, and concocts a false story that they are holding a large amount of gold. The third bandit kills Kettle.
Driven off by Hewitt's "Petticoat Brigade", the bandits are captured by Comanches. The bandits tell the Comanche leader about the women and the mythical gold. The Comanches then launch an attack on the fortified mission.
1957 in film
The year 1957 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 21 - The movie Jailhouse Rock, starring Elvis Presley, opens.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue-Awards:...
Technicolor
Technicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
produced by Harry Joe Brown
Harry Joe Brown
Harry Joe Brown was a movie producer and supervisor who was also a theatre and film director...
and Audie Murphy
Audie Murphy
Audie Leon Murphy was a highly decorated and famous soldier. Through LIFE magazine's July 16, 1945 issue , he became one the most famous soldiers of World War II and widely regarded as the most decorated American soldier of the war...
for Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
. It was based on the 1955 short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
"Petticoat
Petticoat
A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing for women; specifically an undergarment to be worn under a skirt or a dress. The petticoat is a separate garment hanging from the waist ....
Brigade" by Chester William Harrison
Chester William Harrison
Chester William Harrison was a prolific American author who wrote under the names C. William Harrison, Coe Williams and Will Hickok...
(1913-1994) that he expanded into a novelization
Novelization
A novelization is a novel that is written based on some other media story form rather than as an original work.Novelizations of films usually add background material not found in the original work to flesh out the story, because novels are generally longer than screenplays...
for the film's release. It was directed by George Marshall
George Marshall
George Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense...
and filmed at the Iverson Movie Ranch and at Old Tucson. The working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
of the film was Petticoat Brigade; screenwriter and television director Walter Doniger was originally set to have directed the film. The fictional story tells the tale of an Army deserter training a disparate group of women to be Indian Fighters climaxing in a Battle of the Alamo
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar . All but two of the Texian defenders were killed...
type action.
Plot
In 1864 during the American Civil WarAmerican 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...
, Texan Lt. Frank Hewitt is serving with the U.S. Cavalry in a Regular Army
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
under Colonel John Chivington
John Chivington
John Milton Chivington was a colonel in the United States Army who served in the American Indian Wars during the Colorado War and the New Mexico Campaigns of the American Civil War...
. On patrol, Hewitt meets a group of Indians who are unarmed and returning to the Sand Creek reservation they were not supposed to leave. When briefing Col. Chivington, the Colonel orders the Sand Creek Massacre
Sand Creek Massacre
As conflict between Indians and white settlers and soldiers in Colorado continued, many of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, including bands under Cheyenne chiefs Black Kettle and White Antelope, were resigned to negotiate peace. The chiefs had sought to maintain peace in spite of pressures from whites...
to punish the Indians.
Hewitt not only disagrees with the punishment of the Indians, but fears they will use the attack as an excuse to unite and spread terror throughout the Southwest, including his own native Texas which has been emptied of the majority of its menfolk who are fighting for the Confederacy
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...
. Colonel Chivington sees Indian attacks on Texas as a bonus to create havoc in the Confederacy. Violently objecting, Hewitt is placed under arrest and confined to quarters.
Hewitt deserts
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
to warn the Texans. Upon arrival in his home in Texas, he is hated and ignored by his former neighbours who despise him for serving with the Union. No one believes him until he brings the dead body of a woman murdered by Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
s who have joined the uprising. Hewitt gathers the population which consist of women and children and one male opportunist, Kettle. Hewitt trains the women in marksmanship, unarmed combat and tactics and organises the armed women as a military platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
in the safety of an abandoned mission
Mission (station)
A religious mission or mission station is a location for missionary work.While primarily a Christian term, the concept of the religious "mission" is also used prominently by the Church of Scientology and their Scientology Missions International....
. Kettle urges the women to ride away but Hewitt stops the plan by driving off all their horses except his own, to be used for scouting.
After being beaten up by Hewitt, Kettle escapes on Hewitt's mount. He is captured by a trio of bandits. One threatens to kill him if he has no money, and another threatens to kill him if he has money but lied that he didn't. Kettle appeals to the bandits' greed by telling them about the mission defended by women, and concocts a false story that they are holding a large amount of gold. The third bandit kills Kettle.
Driven off by Hewitt's "Petticoat Brigade", the bandits are captured by Comanches. The bandits tell the Comanche leader about the women and the mythical gold. The Comanches then launch an attack on the fortified mission.
Cast
- Audie MurphyAudie MurphyAudie Leon Murphy was a highly decorated and famous soldier. Through LIFE magazine's July 16, 1945 issue , he became one the most famous soldiers of World War II and widely regarded as the most decorated American soldier of the war...
... Lt. Frank Hewitt - Kathryn GrantKathryn GrantKathryn Grant may refer to:* Kathryn Crosby, American actress who also used the stage name Kathryn Grant* Kathryn Ptacek, American author who also wrote under her married name, Kathryn Grant*Katherine Grant, 12th Countess of Dysart , Scottish peer...
... Anne Martin - Hope EmersonHope Emerson-Early life:Emerson was born in Hawarden, Iowa. Following her graduation from West High School in Des Moines in 1916, she moved to New York City where she performed in vaudeville.-Career:...
... Hannah Lacey - Jeff DonnellJeff DonnellJeff Donnell was an American film and television actress. Born Jean Marie Donnell, she grew up in South Windham, Maine...
... Mary Wheller - Jeanette NolanJeanette NolanJeanette Nolan was an American radio, film and television actress. Nolan was nominated for four Emmy Awards.-Early life:...
... Cora Melavan - Sean McClorySean McClorySean McClory was an Irish actor whose career spanned six decades and included well over 100 films and television series.-Early years:...
... Emmett Kettle - Ernestine WadeErnestine WadeErnestine Wade was an African American actress who is best known for playing the role of Sapphire Stevens on the radio and television program Amos 'n Andy.-Career:...
... Hetty - Peggy MaleyPeggy MaleyPeggy Maley is an actress who appeared in numerous movies and television programs. In 1942 she was crowned Miss Atlantic City. She delivered the famous feeder line to Marlon Brando in the film The Wild One: "Hey, Johnny, what are you rebelling against?".-External links:*...
... Lucy Conover - Isobel ElsomIsobel ElsomIsobel Elsom was an English screen, stage, and television actress.-Career:Born as Isobel Jeannette Reed in Cambridge, England, Elsom usually was cast as an aristocratic lady of the upper class. Over the course of three decades she appeared in 17 Broadway productions, beginning with The Ghost Train...
... Mrs. Charlotte Ogden - Patricia Tiernan ... Stella Leatham
- Kim Charney ... Bax Leatham
- Ray TealRay TealRay Teal was an actor who appeared in more than 250 movies and some 90 television programs in his 37-year career. His longest running role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on NBC's most successful western, Bonanza...
... Salt Pork - Nestor PaivaNestor PaivaNestor Paiva was an American actor of Portuguese descent who portrayed the innkeeper on Walt Disney's live-action television series Zorro by ABC and its feature film The Sign of Zorro which was shot in Burbank's Walt Disney Studios.-Career:Nestor appeared in motion pictures and television shows...
... Tortilla - James GriffithJames GriffithJames Griffith was an American character actor, musician and screenwriter.-Career:Born in Los Angeles, Griffith aspired to be a musician rather than an actor. Instead, he managed to find work in little theatres around Los Angeles, where the budding musician eased into a dual career of acting...
... Kipper - John DierkesJohn DierkesJohn Dierkes was an American character actor present in several classic films.-Life and career:Dierkes was born on February 10, 1905 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended Brown University and subsequently went to work as an economist for the United States Department of State. In 1941 he joined the Red...
... Storekeeper - Ainslie Pryor ... Colonel Chivington