Star of the Month: Barbara Stanwyck.

Forty Guns (1957). A western film written and directed by Samuel Fuller. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan and Gene Barry.

Reformed gunslinger and now a lawman Griff Bonnell and his brothers Wes and Chico arrive in an Arizona town. They are looking to arrest Howard Swain for mail robbery. Swain, is one of landowner Jessica Drummond’s hired guns.

She runs the territory and her brother, Brockie Drummond, who is a drunken and bully, who shoots and kills Marshal Chisolm in cold blood.

Wes, falls in love with Louvenie Spanger and then decides to settle down and become the town's sheriff. Griff, falls in love with Jessica after she is dragged by her horse during a storm.

Logan and Savage, try to ambush of Griff in an alley. He is saved by youngest brother Chico, who kills Savage. Jessica's brother and hired guns try to turn the town against the Bonnell brothers.

On his wedding day, Wes is killed and Brockie is jailed for the murder. He tries to escape by using his sister as a shield, daring Griff to shoot ... which Griff does.. only wounding Jessica. Brockie, is the first man Griff has had to kill in 10 years. Chico, decides to take the sheriff's job. Griff, believes that Jessica hates him for killing her brother, but he maybe in for a surprise.

The Maverick Queen(1956). A Pinkerton detective goes undercover to investigate a gang of thieves whose boss is a lady saloonkeeper. Video one of ten.

 

The Violent Men(1955). A Western/drama directed by Rudolph Mate. Cast: Glenn Ford along with Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Brian Keith and Diane Foster. Based on the novel Smoky Valley by Donald Hamilton.

Union Army ex-officer Parrish, wants to sell his land and move east with his fiancee, Caroline, but the low price offered by Lew Wilkison and after one of Parrish's men is murdered, he changes his mind about leaving.

Things become more complicated when the evil owner's wife, Martha, has taken up with his brother, Cole, who has a Mexican spy in town.

When Wilkisons' daughter, Judith, comes to see what her family has done she decides join forces with Parrish and make things right with the cattlemen in their small town.

 

Trooper Hook (1957). After Indian warriors kill a troop of soldiers, Sergeant Hook captures them and their chief Nanches. Among the prisoners is Nanches' son and the boy's white mother. Hook's, job is to escort the mother and son back to the woman's husband. Traveling by stagecoach, they learn that Nanches, has escaped and that he and his warriors and are planning to take back his son.

The Moonlighter(1953). A Western film starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray. A cattle rustler escapes a lynch mob and returns to his life of crime. His ex-girlfriend is deputized and vows to bring him to justice.

Annie Oakley (1935). Annie Oakley is a 1935 biographical film about the life of Annie Oakley. It stars Barbara Stanwyck in the title role and Preston Foster.

The story begins when Annie Oakley delivers six dozen quail she has shot to the owner of the general store. He sends them to the MacIvor hotel in Cincinnati, where the mayor is holding a dinner to honor Toby Walker, the "greatest shot in the whole world".

At the dinner Jeff Hogarth makes Walker, part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. MacIvor arranges for "Andy" Oakley to compete against Walker. The contest ends up in a tie, so they compete to sudden death. The two sharpshooters continue hitting their targets. Oakley's mother tells her to deliberately miss her next shot.

When the Oakleys return home, Annie promises to pay back all those who bet on her. Hogarth shows up and tells Annie that he never bet her money. He then invites her to join the Wild West Show. Oakley, having developed a crush on Walker, jumps at the chance.

Later, Walker overhears Buffalo Bill telling Hogarth that he might have to fire Oakley, because she lacks showmanship, he teaches her some 'fancy shootin' tricks.

At the first show, Chief Sitting Bull is in the audience with his translator, Iron Eyes Cody. Ned Buntline, Buffalo Bill's publicist, tries to sign him up for the show, but the chief is bored with the acts.. until he sees Annie, shoot five targets thrown in the air.

Oakley and Walker fall in love, despite Hogarth, who also has feelings for Oakley.

One day, Walker grabs a man's gun just as it goes off, saving Sitting Bull's life. His eyes are damaged by the closeness of the shot. He hides his injury, but ends up shooting Oakley in the hand and is fired from the show. Oakley, heartbroken cannot forget him. After touring Europe, the show travels to New York City, Walker's home town. Will the couple find each other and get back together?

 

Night Nurse (1931). Pre-Code, crime/drama/mystery directed by William A. Wellman. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Ben Lyon, Joan Blondell, Clark Gable, and Vera Lewis.

Lora Hart applies for a job as a trainee nurse in a hospital, but is rejected for not having graduated from high school. Fortunately, a meeting with the hospital's chief of staff, Dr. Arthur Bell she is hired. Lora's roommate and fellow nurse, Miss Maloney, becomes her best friend.

One day, Lora treats bootlegger Mortie, for a gunshot wound and they become friends when she does not report him to the police.

Later, Lora is hired for a private case, taking care of, Desney and Nanny Ritchie at the mansion of their alcoholic mother, where there is always a party going on. When a drunk guest makes a pass at her, the chauffeur Nick knocks him out. When she refuses his demand to pump out the stomach of a very drunk Mrs. Ritchie, he knocks Lora out and takes her to her room.

Lora, becomes concerned about the children's treatment prescribed by Dr. Ranger. She sees that the children are being slowly starved to death, but she can not get anybody to believe her. She quits and takes her suspicions to Dr. Bell. He advises her to return to the house so she can get more proof.

Nanny Ritchie becomes so weak, that Lora fears for her life. By chance, her friend Mortie is making a booze delivery to the mansion. Desperate, Lora sends Mortie for milk for a bath for the child. The worried housekeeper Mrs. Maxwell, confides to Lora that Nick and Dr. Ranger, both want the children out of the way in order to get at their trust fund.

Dr. Bell shows up and examines the little girl, but when Bell tries to get the child to the hospital, Nick punches him. Will Dr. Bell be able to save the child's life in time?