The Hanging Tree
Encyclopedia
The Hanging Tree is a 1959
movie directed by Delmer Daves
. Karl Malden
took over directing duties for several days when Daves fell ill. The film stars Gary Cooper
, Maria Schell
, George C. Scott
and Malden and is set in the gold fields of Montana
during the gold rush of the 1860s and 1870s.
Principal photography was done on location in the Oak Creek Wildlife Area; it is located in the mountains west of Yakima, Washington
. The story follows a doctor who saves a criminal from a lynch mob, then learns of the man's past and tries to manipulate him.
This marked the first film of Scott. He and Malden later teamed for 1970's Patton
, for which Scott won an Academy Award.
He rescues Rune, a sluice
robber who has been shot, and forces him into indentured servitude.
A stagecoach is robbed and overturned, killing the driver and a male passenger. But the daughter of the male passenger is believed to have survived. A search party is formed, and Elizabeth Mahler is found by the town opportunist "Frenchy."
Due to her burns, blindness and dehydration from overexposure, Elizabeth is moved into the doctor's house to begin her recovery, much to the chagrin of the town's women, who believe she may be paying for her medical care in an illicit fashion.
Frenchy sneaks in under the guise of trying to strike a business deal with Elizabeth, but tries to kiss her. Frail chases Frenchy back to town, beats him up and threatens to kill him. There are many witnesses, including a mad faith healer
, Dr. Grubb, who sees Frail's medical practice as a threat.
Elizabeth regains her sight and makes romantic overtures toward Frail. He rejects her. She leaves in a huff, determined to strike it rich as a prospector
so that she can pay off Frail and get out from under his control.
She teams up with Rune and Frenchy, who plan to buy a claim and set up a sluice. To get money, she pawns a family heirloom. It is worthless, but Frail tells the pawnbroker to give her however much money she needs. Thus Frail secretly continues to control her.
She finds out and asks Frail why he couldn't respond to her affection. He reveals that his wife had an affair with his own brother. He found them together, both dead, an apparent murder-suicide. In a rage, he burned down their house with their bodies in it. He tells Elizabeth he is "not allowed to forget."
The trio of Elizabeth, Frenchy and Rune strike it rich, finding a "glory hole
" of gold under a tree stump. They ride into town as heroes, tossing pieces of gold to the townsfolk. The gaiety quickly turns into a riot. Frenchy takes advantage to attempt to sexually assault Elizabeth. Frail again catches him, and this time kills him. And again, the people in town witness this.
The faith healer incites a mob to lynch Frail. They carry him to the hanging tree and string him up. Rune and Elizabeth rush in carrying their gold and the deed to the claim. Elizabeth offers everything to the townsfolk if they will let Frail live. They assent, and the mob disperses.
Elizabeth feels she has finally paid Frail back. Rune takes the noose off and Frail calls out to Elizabeth to come back.
1959 in film
The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
movie directed by Delmer Daves
Delmer Daves
Delmer Daves was an American screenwriter, director, and producer.-Life and career:Born in San Francisco, Delmer Daves first pursued a career as a lawyer...
. Karl Malden
Karl Malden
Karl Malden was an American actor. In a career that spanned more than seven decades, he performed in such classic films as A Streetcar Named Desire, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, On the Waterfront and One-Eyed Jacks...
took over directing duties for several days when Daves fell ill. The film stars Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper
Frank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
, Maria Schell
Maria Schell
Maria Margarethe Anna Schell was an Austrian/Swiss actress, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival in 1956 for Gervaise....
, George C. Scott
George C. Scott
George Campbell Scott was an American stage and film actor, director and producer. He was best known for his stage work, as well as his portrayal of General George S. Patton in the film Patton, and as General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick's Dr...
and Malden and is set in the gold fields of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
during the gold rush of the 1860s and 1870s.
Principal photography was done on location in the Oak Creek Wildlife Area; it is located in the mountains west of Yakima, Washington
Yakima, Washington
Yakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
. The story follows a doctor who saves a criminal from a lynch mob, then learns of the man's past and tries to manipulate him.
This marked the first film of Scott. He and Malden later teamed for 1970's Patton
Patton (film)
Patton is a 1970 American biographical war film about U.S. General George S. Patton during World War II. It stars George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Michael Bates, and Karl Michael Vogler. It was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner from a script by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H...
, for which Scott won an Academy Award.
Plot Summary
Joseph Frail -- doctor, gambler, gunslinger -- rides into town looking to set up a business. He passes by the "hanging tree," an old oak with a thick branch over which has been slung a noose.He rescues Rune, a sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
robber who has been shot, and forces him into indentured servitude.
A stagecoach is robbed and overturned, killing the driver and a male passenger. But the daughter of the male passenger is believed to have survived. A search party is formed, and Elizabeth Mahler is found by the town opportunist "Frenchy."
Due to her burns, blindness and dehydration from overexposure, Elizabeth is moved into the doctor's house to begin her recovery, much to the chagrin of the town's women, who believe she may be paying for her medical care in an illicit fashion.
Frenchy sneaks in under the guise of trying to strike a business deal with Elizabeth, but tries to kiss her. Frail chases Frenchy back to town, beats him up and threatens to kill him. There are many witnesses, including a mad faith healer
Faith Healer
Faith Healer is a play by Brian Friel about the life of faith healer Francis Hardy as monologued through the shifting memories of Hardy, his wife, Grace, and stage manager, Teddy.-Synopsis:...
, Dr. Grubb, who sees Frail's medical practice as a threat.
Elizabeth regains her sight and makes romantic overtures toward Frail. He rejects her. She leaves in a huff, determined to strike it rich as a prospector
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
so that she can pay off Frail and get out from under his control.
She teams up with Rune and Frenchy, who plan to buy a claim and set up a sluice. To get money, she pawns a family heirloom. It is worthless, but Frail tells the pawnbroker to give her however much money she needs. Thus Frail secretly continues to control her.
She finds out and asks Frail why he couldn't respond to her affection. He reveals that his wife had an affair with his own brother. He found them together, both dead, an apparent murder-suicide. In a rage, he burned down their house with their bodies in it. He tells Elizabeth he is "not allowed to forget."
The trio of Elizabeth, Frenchy and Rune strike it rich, finding a "glory hole
Glory hole
Glory hole may refer to:* Glory hole, surface depression produced block caving in underground mining* Glory hole , a type of underwater excavation* Glory hole * Glory hole, reheating furnace for glassblowing...
" of gold under a tree stump. They ride into town as heroes, tossing pieces of gold to the townsfolk. The gaiety quickly turns into a riot. Frenchy takes advantage to attempt to sexually assault Elizabeth. Frail again catches him, and this time kills him. And again, the people in town witness this.
The faith healer incites a mob to lynch Frail. They carry him to the hanging tree and string him up. Rune and Elizabeth rush in carrying their gold and the deed to the claim. Elizabeth offers everything to the townsfolk if they will let Frail live. They assent, and the mob disperses.
Elizabeth feels she has finally paid Frail back. Rune takes the noose off and Frail calls out to Elizabeth to come back.
Cast
- Gary CooperGary CooperFrank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
as Doc Frail - Karl MaldenKarl MaldenKarl Malden was an American actor. In a career that spanned more than seven decades, he performed in such classic films as A Streetcar Named Desire, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, On the Waterfront and One-Eyed Jacks...
as Frenchy - Maria SchellMaria SchellMaria Margarethe Anna Schell was an Austrian/Swiss actress, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival in 1956 for Gervaise....
as Elizabeth - George C. ScottGeorge C. ScottGeorge Campbell Scott was an American stage and film actor, director and producer. He was best known for his stage work, as well as his portrayal of General George S. Patton in the film Patton, and as General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick's Dr...
as Grubb - Ben Piazza as Rune