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The Baron of Arizona

Play trailer Poster for The Baron of Arizona Released Mar 4, 1950 1h 36m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 69% 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

View All (7) Critics Reviews
Keith Uhlich House Next Door The Baron of Arizona (1950) is all thumbs, as much a forgery as the one perpetrated by its protagonist James Addison Reavis (Vincent Price). Aug 17, 2007 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 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. Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion A Balzacian comedy recalled by a man who, like Fuller, can't help admiring a rogue who can wield ingenuity in a wolfish world May 15, 2011 Full Review TV Guide 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. Rated: 3/4 Jan 12, 2010 Full Review Brian Holcomb Kinetofilm 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 Rated: 4.5/5 Aug 29, 2009 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 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. Rated: B- Jul 5, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (66) audience reviews
Audience Member 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. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Frances H 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! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/08/20 Full Review s r On the whole it was not very good, but learning about AZ's history was worth it. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Based on a true story of a con artist trying to seal Arizona. Victor Price in non-usual non-horror role. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member A great 'historical' drama Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member Fluff, but Vincent Price fluff. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Baron of Arizona

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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