Tall in the Saddle

Tall in the Saddle is a 1944 American Western film directed by Edwin L. Marin and starring John Wayne and Ella Raines. Written by Paul Fix and Michael Hogan, based on the serialized novel of the same name by Gordon Ray Young, the film is about a tough quiet cowboy who arrives at an Arizona town and discovers that the rancher who hired him has been murdered and that the kindhearted young woman who just inherited the ranch is being manipulated by her overbearing aunt and a scheming lawyer who are planning to steal her inheritance. As the cowboy investigates the rancher's murder, he meets the fiery horsewoman who owns a neighboring ranch and who challenges him at first, but eventually falls in love with him. With powerful forces opposed to his presence in the town, the cowboy survives attempts on his life as he gets closer to solving the murder with the help of two beautiful women. Tall in the Saddle was the only film to pair Wayne, who plays the tough cowboy, and Raines, who plays the fiery horsewoman and ranch owner. The film features a strong supporting cast that includes Ward Bond as the scheming lawyer, George "Gabby" Hayes as the trustworthy sidekick, Audrey Long as the kindhearted young woman, Elisabeth Risdon as the overbearing aunt, and Don Douglas as the stepfather. Tall in the Saddle was filmed on location at Agoura Ranch in Agoura, California; Lake Sherwood, California; RKO Encino Ranch in Encino, California; and Sedona, Arizona. Studio scenes were shot at RKO Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Principal photography took place from mid-April to mid-June 1944. Produced by Robert Fellows for RKO Radio Pictures, the film was released in the United States on October 17, 1944. Upon its theatrical release, the film received generally good reviews and was successful at the box office, earning $2 million in rentals. The film was Wayne's second of a six-picture contract with RKO and the first with the producer Robert Fellows, with whom Wayne later formed a production company.