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The Baron of Arizona

Play trailer Poster for The Baron of Arizona 1950 1h 36m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Thirty years before Arizona achieves statehood, scam artist James Addison Reavis (Vincent Price) cooks up an elaborate scheme to claim the territory as his own. Reavis convinces Mexican immigrant Pepito (Vladimir Sokoloff) that his daughter is the heir to a barony of land granted by Spain, and then departs for years of patient efforts to create a false paper trail. He returns years later to claim the now-grown heir, Sofia (Ellen Drew), as his wife, but will his plan withstand scrutiny?

Critics Reviews

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Keith Uhlich House Next Door 08/17/2007
The Baron of Arizona (1950) is all thumbs, as much a forgery as the one perpetrated by its protagonist James Addison Reavis (Vincent Price). Go to Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 01/01/2000
Not one of Fuller's best films, though the subject is fascinatingly offbeat, the cinematography is by James Wong Howe, and no personal Fuller project is devoid of interest. Go to Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 05/15/2011
A Balzacian comedy recalled by a man who, like Fuller, can't help admiring a rogue who can wield ingenuity in a wolfish world Go to Full Review TV Guide 01/12/2010
3/4
This is a powerful and colorful film, the second to be directed by the gifted Fuller, which shows a large slice of pioneer life in early America. Go to Full Review Brian Holcomb Kinetofilm 08/29/2009
4.5/5
The craziest true story I've never heard of that turned out to be pretty damn true. Even with Fuller shouting his own melodramatic version of the truth at the top of his lungs Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/05/2009
B-
Starring Vincent Price, Sam Fuller's second feature is a bizarre noirish Western, marred by preposterous plotting, but extremely well shot by ace lesner James Wong Howe. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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08/21/2020 Vincent Price in his best non-horror lead role! Yes, Dragonwyck is quite also very good and probably a better film, but my opinion Vincent Price shines in this film and does a better performance. Sure the plot is a tad messy at times and the direction is occasionally dull, apart from that the relatively inexperienced (at the time) director Samuel Fuller does a very good job directing this film. Cinematographer James Wong Howe also does a good job, as well as Vincent Price who was yet to delve into his horror career is probably one of the highlights of the film with large glimpses of the horror legend he would begin to become 3 years later. Overall I would recommend the film primarily to Vincent Price fans. See more Frances H 07/08/2020 A fascinating story based on an actual story and with an excellent performance by Vincent Price. It's a very unusual story for a western, even with the typical Hollywood ending! See more s r @ScottR 07/29/2019 On the whole it was not very good, but learning about AZ's history was worth it. See more 10/29/2017 Based on a true story of a con artist trying to seal Arizona. Victor Price in non-usual non-horror role. See more 01/25/2017 A great 'historical' drama See more 11/07/2016 Fluff, but Vincent Price fluff. See more Read all reviews
The Baron of Arizona

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Cast & Crew

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Samuel Fuller

Director

Vincent Price

James Addison Reavis

Ellen Drew

Sofia de Peralta-Reavis

Beulah Bondi

Loma Morales

Vladimir Sokoloff

Pepito Alvarez

Reed Hadley

John Griff

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The Baron of Arizona

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Movie Info

Synopsis Thirty years before Arizona achieves statehood, scam artist James Addison Reavis (Vincent Price) cooks up an elaborate scheme to claim the territory as his own. Reavis convinces Mexican immigrant Pepito (Vladimir Sokoloff) that his daughter is the heir to a barony of land granted by Spain, and then departs for years of patient efforts to create a false paper trail. He returns years later to claim the now-grown heir, Sofia (Ellen Drew), as his wife, but will his plan withstand scrutiny?
Director
Samuel Fuller
Producer
Carl K. Hittleman
Screenwriter
Samuel Fuller
Distributor
Lippert Pictures
Production Co
Deputy Corporation
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 4, 1950, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 14, 2007
Runtime
1h 36m