The Plainsman

Jean Arthur is hot as Calamity Jane, and that's all the reason you need to watch this! But, the rest of the cast is good too!

One will easily find better major studio westerns then The Plainsman, but not so many in this period. There are a lot of brutal scenes typical of westerns with Indians attacking the white man with guns and rifles they've bought from outlaw cowboys. And it's Cooper's job to find the men thats selling the weapons. But of course there is some time for a little romantic tension and he's reunited with Jean Arthur who knows how to use a whip! Cooper felt more then home riding a horse again!

DeMille really knew how to make 'em. I thought this was no earlier than the 40s due to it's large scale and impressive photography. It's a folktale retelling of the months following the Civil War and the subsequent battles with Natives as the United States moved west. Inspired by true events, they're woven together to make a more dramatic, cohesive narrative. Some of the Indian segments are stereotypical, but the film excels overall. Cooper and Arthur in particular are really great together.