description Colorado Territory Overview
"Colorado Territory" is a 1949 Western film directed by Raoul Walsh, adapted from the same W. R. Burnett novel that inspired his earlier crime film "High Sierra" (1941). The production stars Joel McCrea as an outlaw who attempts to leave his criminal past behind but is drawn into one final train robbery.
Notable for its rugged terrain and stark cinematography, the film translates the conventions of 1940s film noir into a frontier setting. It remains a key example of transposed genre filmmaking, appealing to scholars and enthusiasts of classic American Westerns.
help Colorado Territory FAQ
How is Colorado Territory connected to High Sierra?
Raoul Walsh directed both films, adapting the same underlying W. R. Burnett story into different genres. High Sierra is a 1941 gangster film with Humphrey Bogart, while Colorado Territory moves the doomed-outlaw narrative to the Old West.
Who does Joel McCrea play in Colorado Territory?
McCrea plays Wes McQueen, an outlaw broken out of jail to participate in a final train robbery. His attempt to escape criminal life becomes entangled with Colorado Carson, played by Virginia Mayo.
Where was Colorado Territory filmed?
The film makes prominent use of the rugged landscapes around Gallup, New Mexico, including the abandoned settlement of Tohatchi. Those locations give the robbery and pursuit a harsher visual character than a studio-bound Western.
Does Colorado Territory have a typical heroic Western ending?
No. Wes McQueen is a fatalistic outlaw rather than a triumphant frontier hero, and his relationship with Colorado leads toward tragedy. That bleak structure reflects the film-noir roots it shares with High Sierra.
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