OUTLAW WOMEN

Richard Avonde and Marie Windsor

OUTLAW WOMEN (1952). Directors: Sam Newfield; Ron Ormond. In Cinecolor.

"Six-gun sirens that shoot to thrill!"

Dr. Bob (Allan Nixon) is shanghaied to the town of Las Mujeres, which is run by women, particularly the tough and feisty "Iron" Mae McLeod (Marie Windsor), owner of the Paradise saloon and casino. The bartender has succumbed to pneumonia before he can arrive, but Bob sticks around on account of pretty Beth Larabee (Carla Balenda), although her prettier sister Ellen (Jacqueline Fontaine) also makes a play for him. Others in Las Mujeres include crook Frank Slater (Richard Avonde) and the mysterious Woody (Richard Rober), who is almost always in the company of Peyote Bill (Jackie Coogan). Mae finds herself beset on all sides by men who want to "deal" with her: Woody wants to take over the Paradise and make her a mere employee and Frank wants to rob the bank -- where most of Mae's money is. But she may have a plan to outwit them all ...

"cat-fight!"

Outlaw Women is a fun, morally-ambiguous western with some colorful action -- including a nifty "cat fight" -- and performances. Despite the fact that she isn't exactly on the side of the angels, you may find yourself rooting for Mae, who had to take over because the chauvinistic men in her life wouldn't exactly play fair. Windsor is as snappy as ever, and the other women, especially Fontaine (introduced in this picture although she'd appeared previously in The Daltons' Women and others) are fine. Most of the male actors were generally limited to "B"s or TV shows, no harm in that. Lyle Talbot, Billy House [Naked Gun], and Tom Tyler are also in the cast and the Four Dandies sing a peppy version of "San Francisco Bay." From Lippert Pictures. 

Verdict: Scrappy Windsor is always fun to watch. ***.