Oklahoma Territory

Intelligent little western coming at the end of the great B-movie era (1959). Unfortunately, this is the kind of cheap b&w project that was soon swallowed up by TV. Nonetheless, the movie has an intelligent script with a good premise, grounded I believe in fact. Greedy land grabbers want to divide up Cherokee tribal land so they can buy it off piecemeal. So they concoct a scheme to remove the resistant tribal chief (de Corsia). But the local DA (Williams) puts justice before greed and tracks the scheme looking for guilty parties.

Bill Williams (Barbara Hale's real life husband) never had the career his talent deserved. He could be convincingly tough, as he is here. All in all, he's a fine actor, deserving of more breaks than he got. Sorry to say cult actress Gloria Talbott is little more than comely window dressing, but I'll take her anyway. Happily, it's a better-than-average supporting cast, which helps, since the shoot-outs are pedestrian as heck. And what would these cheap westerns do without Iverson Ranch as a location. So, you cheap western fans (myself included) be prepared to see scrubland backdrops you've seen a hundred times before. (In passing—if a location is less than 50 miles from LA, the producers don't have to pay higher location rates to the crew, etc. At least that was the case back then.) Anyway, the movie's a worthwhile little oater.

Oklahoma Territory is directed by Edward L. Cahn and written by Orville H. Hampton. It stars Bill Williams, Gloria Talbott, Ted de Corsia and Grant Richards. Music is by Albert Glasser and cinematography by Walter Strenge.

Temple Houston was a most interesting real life character, one who is very much worth reading up on. This picture is not based on any real facts, but the essence of the real man is very much evident. Clocking in at under 70 minutes, Cahn's movie is devoid of pointless filler and extraneous wastage.

The story is intelligent as it tells of the persecution of a Cherokee Chief because shifty factions are operating behind the scenes for their own ends. The legal aspects are intriguing as well, as Houston -as the DA for the territory - has to first prosecute Buffalo Horn for murder, only to then be forced into being his defence council - with not exactly legal methods wonderfully brought into play.

In truth it's all a bit fanciful and nutty, but consider the low budget and you find a smart screenplay surrounded by a nice looking film (Calif locales), with the wily Cahn keeping it all together rather handsomely. 6.5/10

This is good western worth seeing. Of course it is not a classic western like High Noon but it is good of its' type. If you have 67 minutes to spare it is worth watching. It was made to be as part of double features that were common at the time it was made. It is a good movie with a good cast. Bill Williams plays Temple Houston (Sam Houston's son) who is the DA with a sense of Justice. He is located in Fort Smith, Ark and works with Judge Parker in 1872. His area includes the Oklahoma Territory which was the Indian territory at that time. Ted De Corsia is very good as Chief Buffalo Horn who is falsely accused of murder. This was an unusual role type for Ted and he was very good. Gloria Talbott plays the Chief's daughter and Walter Barlin (a character actor of many movies and television) plays the fair minded newspaper man. It is worth seeing even though it is not too historically accurate because Temple Houston was only 12 in 1872 and Judge Parker wasn't appointed to the area until 1875. Still worth seeing.

Eddy Cahn was a cheap productions director, we can't deny this and this film is the best proof. But it is well done, fast paced, though with no surprises, nor exciting moments either. The usual and predictable scheme of man accused of a murder he did not commit, and also the scheme of evil white dudes that do their best to jeapardize peace treaty between Indians and Whites. So, you see, nothing exceptional. Ted de Corsia's presence is a good positive thing to enhance the whole stuff.

Although there's not a word of truth in this story Temple Houston in his own right was quite the colorful character of the old west. Like his illustrious father Sam Houston, Temple inherited Sam's love and respect for the Indians, particularly the Cherokee who were now living in what later became Oklahoma. He was also quite the frontier lawyer equally adept as defense and prosecuting attorney. He plays both roles in this film.

Bill Williams plays Temple Houston and as federal prosecutor he has to try Cherokee chief Ted DeCorsia for the murder of an Indian agent. Williams gets his conviction but afterward as facts emerge Williams becomes DeCorsia's staunch advocate and together with crusading newspaper owner Walter Baldwin gets justice done. As is the case in these film there are some powerful interests who want to see DeCorsia hang and send the Cherokees on a warpath.

I'm not sure if Temple Houston was also a fast gun, but Williams certainly backs his play with a pair of Colts. Also in the cast of note are Tom Browne Henry as the legendary judge Isaac Parker, Walter Sande as the federal marshal, Gloria Talbott as DeCorsia's daughter and Grant Richards as an unscrupulous businessman.

Shot on a shoestring budget and not a word of truth in the plot, Oklahoma Territory is a fine film in that dwindling genre of B westerns.