| Sierra Baron | |
| Director: | James B. Clark |
| Producer: | Plato A. Skouras |
| Screenplay: | Houston Branch |
| Starring: | Brian Keith Rick Jason Rita Gam |
| Music: | Paul Sawtell Bert Shefter |
| Cinematography: | Alex Phillips |
| Editing: | Frank Baldridge |
| Studio: | Regal Films Inc |
| Distributor: | Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation |
| Runtime: | 80 min |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
Sierra Baron is a 1958 American Western CinemaScope color film directed by James B. Clark and starring Brian Keith, Rick Jason and Rita Gam, from the novel by Thomas W. Blackburn.
In 1848, a rancher, Miguel Delmonte tries to protect his Princessa Spanish land grant, from American landgrabbers after his father is killed. Real estate agent Rufus Bynum, hires a Texas gunfighter Jack McCracken to kill the man. The gunfighter ends up falling in love with the rancher's sister Felicia.[1] [2]
The novel was published in 1955. The New York Times called it a "grade A novel".[3] In May 1956 the novel was optioned by the sons of Spyros Skouras, Plato and Spyros Jnr, who had formed a production company, Artys Co, with their cousin Charles Spyros Jnr, son of Charles Skouras. André de Toth and John Hawkins wrote a script with De Toth intending to direct; the Skouras brothers wanted Gregory Peck and Jack Palance to star.[4] [5]
Eventually rights shifted to Regal Films Inc and the film was made as part of Regal's ten films in three months. De Toth did not direct.[6]
The film was shot back to back with Villa!! in Mexico, in and around Estudios Churubusco in Mexico City.[7] [8]