URANIUM BOOM

Wm Talman, Dennis Morgan, Philip Van Zandt

URANIUM BOOM (1956). Director: William Castle. 

During a uranium boom in Colorado where everyone hopes to strike it rich, Brad Collins (Dennis Morgan) and Grady Mathews (William Talman) come to blows over a hotel room, but then decide to strike out together to make a killing. The two men find what they're looking for with the help of Navajo Charlie (Philip Van Zandt), and Brad goes back to town to stake their claim. In town Brad meets up and falls in love with Jean Williams (Patricia Medina), not realizing that Jean is the very woman Grady is hoping to spend his life with ... 

Ladies Meet: Tina Carver, Patricia Medina

Uranium Boom is a low-budget version of the rags-to-riches, two-rivals-fighting-over-the-same business-and-woman movies that in former years would have starred the likes of Clark Gable or Spencer Tracy. Morgan, best-known as a song and dance man, is perfectly adept, however, and Talman, best-known as the prosecutor on Perry Mason, is also very good. Van Zandt is mildly amusing as the inscrutable Indian, and Medina adds some class as the woman that both men love. Tina Carver, a TV actress most famous for her role in From Hell It Came, is not quite as sexy as everyone seems to think, but she's okay as another woman who tries to throw a monkey wrench in Collins' plans. William Henry and S. John Launer, who frequently played a judge on Perry Mason, have smaller roles and are effective.  Talman and Morgan have a lively fight scene, but the two ladies never come to blows, alas. 

Verdict: Strangely entertaining. **1/4.