by Hal Erickson
synopsis
Cripple Creek is an excellent example of Columbia's "A-minus/B-plus" Technicolor westerns of the 1950s. Government agent Bret Ivers (George Montgomery) goes undercover to infiltrate a gang of gold smugglers. Ivers and his two partners (Jerome Courtland and Richard Egan) face exposure and sudden death at every turn; indeed, one of the federal agents meets his demise before the film is a third over. The villains are the erudite-but-deadly Denver Jones (John Dehner) and the just-plain-deadly Silver Kirby (William Bishop). With so much already in its favor, Cripple Creek hardly needs a romantic interest, but Columbia had to keep contract actress Karin Booth busy, thus she shows up briefly as a flashy saloon gal.
characteristics
- Going Undercover
- Robber
- Smuggler
- Outlaw [Western]
- Mining
- Mob
- Smuggling
- Theft
- Under-cover
- Yakuza
- Tracking [following]
- Thief
- Mine
- Suspicion
- Mafia
