In one of his last pictures, the popular Western The Hanging Tree, directed by Delmer Daves, the rapidly aging Gary Cooper plays Doc Joe Frail, a frontier doctor running away from a personal tragedy.
Due to his past, he takes his Hippocratic oath with a little gambling and gun-fighting in Skull Creek, a wild gold camp in Montana. Early on, Doc saves an accused thief from a posse, and afterwards they become friends. Doc then treats a young Swiss girl, Elizabeth Mahler (Maria Schell, sister of actor Maxmillian Schell), for shock and blindness suffered from exposure to the sun after a stage holdup.
Doc helps Elizabeth in a grubstake and, with her partners Frenchy and Rune, she soon strikes it rich. Frenchy tries to force his attentions on Elizabeth, forcing Doc to kill him. In retaliation, the townsfolk’s take him to the hanging tree. However, Elizabeth stops them by offering them her rich mine.
The greedy, cowardly townspeople accept and she releases Doc from captivity.
The Hanging Tree was the first feature from Cooper’s production company, Baroda, and some colleagues were surprised that he chose a female-oriented tale as Maria Schell’s part was more interestng–and central–than Cooper’s.
Principal photography was shot on location in the Oak Creek Wildlife Area, in the mountains west of Yakima, Washington.
Marty Robbins performed the title song, whose lyrics contain a reference to the story. Frankie Lane’s rendition at the Oscars telecast made it all the more populat.
My Oscar Book:
Oscar Nominations: 1
Song: “The Hanging Tree,” by Mack David and Jerry Livingston, sung by Marty Robbins.
Oscar Awards: None
Oscar Context:
The winners of the Best Song Oscar were James Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn for “High Hopes,” from Frank Sinatra’s comedy, “A Hole in the Head.”
Cast:
Gary Cooper (Doc Joseph Frail)
Maria Schell (Elizabeth Mahler)
Karl Malden (Frenchy Plante)
Ben Piazza (Rune)
George C. Scott (Dr. George Grubb)
Karl Swenson (Tom Flaunce)
Virginia Gregg (Edna Flaunce)
John Dierkes (Society Red)
King Donovan (Wonder)
Slim Talbot (Stage Driver)
Guy Wilkerson (Home Owner)
Bud Osborne (Horseman)
Annette Claudier (Dance Hall Girl)
Clarence Straight (Dealer)
Credits
A Baroda Production.
Warner release
Director: Delmer Daves.
Producers: Martin Jurow and Richard Shepherd.
Script: Wendell Mayes and Halsted Welles, from the Novella, “The Hanging Tree” by Dorothy M. Johnson.
Photographer: Ted McCord.
Art Director: Daniel B. Cathcart.
Editor: Owen Marks.
Sound Recorder: Stanley Jones.
Musical Score: Max Steiner.
Orchestrator: Murray Cutter.
Assistant Director: Russell Llewellyn.
Maria Schell’s Costumes: Orry-Kelly.
Costumer: Marjorie Best.
Set Decorator: Frank Miller.
Makeup Artist: Gordon Bau.
Song: “The Hanging Tree,” by Mack David and Jerry Livingston, sung by: Marty Robbins.
