If this film didn't have the RKO logo I would've sworn it was a Republic western. Just look at the cast, many of whom were Republic stock company members: Roy Barcroft, Gene Roth, Tom Steele, Dave Sharpe, George Chesebro, etc.
Of course, the presence of Jane Russell, George Brent and John Litel give it major studio look. For me, Russell was more fun in the Paleface movies with Bob Hope.
It was a Republic Studio filmed project that was produced by independent produce Howard Welsch's Fidelity Pictures in 1948. As Russell was under contract to Howard Hughes beginning in 1940, she was loaned out for this movie which was then acquired by the mogul. THE OUTLAW had been briefly released in 1943 and 1946 then pulled for censorship problems which no doubt prompted Hughes to buy it and shelve it until his production played off in 1950.
shareVery complicated, but not as much as THUNDERBALL/NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN. I haven't seen THE OUTLAW in years, and I understand Ben Johnson is a stuntman in it. I'm always surprised at the number of Republic pictures he was in before Ford discovered him. In WYOMING he is so skinny he almost vanishes when he stands sideways to the camera.
shareWhat is really weird is RKO has stuck a B&W studio opening credit logo in front of this color (albeit not Technicolor) movie. Wonder if that could be the reason - perhaps Technicolor would not allow them to use even studio logo footage shot in Technicolor in front of a film that itself was not shot in Technicolor.
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