Movie review – “Copper Canyon” (1950) **1/2

Aw, those poor former slave owning Southerners – they’re being picked on after the Civil War by nasty miners. Actually that’s not a bad start for a Western – I’m sure there was plenty of discrimination, it’s just annoying all the ex-Confederates are good and there are nasty Yankees, with the peace kept of course by invoking some words of Abraham Lincoln. Naturally there are no black people or Indians in the film.

Ray Milland is a lot more happily cast than in California as a sharpshooter who the Southerners think is a former officer. Hedy Lamarr is wasted as a gambling gal but MacDonald Carey is excellent as a nasty villain – with three day growth, a hat and a scowl, he’s a lot more interesting actor than he was in his more heroic role.