The Baron of Arizona poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Vincent Price, Ellen Drew, Beulah Bondi, Vladimir Sokoloff, Reed Hadley ... see more see more... , Robert H. Barrat , Robin Short , Tina Rome , Margia Dean , Edward Keane , Gene Roth , Karen Kester , Fred Kohler Jr. , Tristram Coffin , I. Stanford Jolley , Terry Frost , Zachary Yaconelli , Wheaton Chambers , Robert Vincent O'Neil , Stephen S. Harrison , Angelo Rossitto , Margo Woode , Joseph Green

Samuel Fuller wrote and directed this lively drama based on the real-life adventures of James Addison Reavis, one of the most ambitious swindlers of the 19th Century. In 1871, Reavis (played by Vincen... read more read more...t Price) began hatching an elaborate scheme to claim the Arizona territory (then three decades away from statehood) as his own. At the time, land grants established during Spanish rule of Arizona were still valid, and one rainy evening Reavis visited Pepito Peralta (Vladimir Sokoloff) and his daughter Sofia (Karen Kester) with some exciting news. While working as a real estate clerk, Reavis found documents which granted ownership of nearly the whole of the Arizona territory to one Miguel Peralta, who was named Baron of the new land by Spain's rulers, and as his heir Sofia will become Baroness when she reaches adulthood, giving her claim to the territory. After giving Pepito and Sofia money and hiring a governess (Beulah Bondi) to educate the girl in a manner befitting the Barony, Reavis sailed for Spain on business; unknown to the Peraltas, Reavis posed first as a monk and then as a gypsy in order to revise old land grant documents to conform with his story. Several years later, Reavis returned to Pepito and Sofia's home, and asked the young woman (now played by Ellen Drew) to marry him. Once wed, Reavis presented his carefully forged paperwork to the Arizona authorities which gave him and his bride royal claim to the land; however, not everyone believed Reavis's elaborate tale, and John Griff (Reed Hadley), an expert in falsified documents, was brought in to examine the evidence. The Baron of Arizona gave Vincent Price a rare leading role in a non-horror vehicle, and he cited it as one of his favorite performances on film. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

73% liked it

430 ratings

Critics

86% liked it

7 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: Samuel Fuller

Release Date: March 4, 1950

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: August 21, 2007

Stats: 65 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

None yet... Got one?

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (65)

  • kenstachnik
    December 28, 2011
    kenstachnik
    Interesting because it's based on a true story. Sam Fuller delivers one his calmest pictures.
  • ajv2688
    October 26, 2010
    ajv2688
    It's a pretty far fetched story, but it is said to be based on a real story, which is really incredible. This movie is dramatic, romantic, exciting, and humorous. I loved Price in this movie.
  • rubystevens
    July 3, 2009
    rubystevens
    somewhat exaggerated account of the notorious conman who used forged spanish land grants and even an orphaned girl to try to gain control of a large part of arizona territory. pretty interesting tale of the wild and woolly days of the old west
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_... read moreReavis
  • PinkMinkPrincess
    June 29, 2011
    PinkMinkPrincess
    I found this bit of untold History Fascinating, even if a bit slow at times, I found it Dramatic & Well Done.Vincent Price was very effective in this Dramatic Role.I actually think of this Movie whenever I get to Arizona, so I guess it made somewhat of an impact.
  • thrusz
    November 16, 2007
    thrusz
    These are the movies that really knock me behind schedule. I have to thank Flixster for putting this up on my request. If you read my reviews regularly, you remember me reviewing the Early Films of Samuel Fuller box set from Eclipse. Only problem was that this wasn't included ... read moreon Flixster. Not a bash, just an explanation why I haven't reviewed this sooner.

    The Baron of Arizona is definitely a low budget studio film. When you think Sam Fuller, you don't instantly associate with Vincent Price. This movie really isn't the traditional Fuller film. It's more along the lines of I Shot Jesse James, which is another studio film. The thing with Jesse James is that, even with the low budget, studio feel, there still is a lot of dark Fuller moments involved. Baron of Arizona kind of lacks that. Rather, this is simply a fun, light-hearted caper film of grandiose proportions. Imagine if Danny Ocean publicly flaunted his money and claimed that it has always been rightfully his. That's the kind of movie you are looking at with this.

    Now, this isn't a bad movie. I actually had a pretty good time with it. The only trouble is that it lacks substance. They all can't be Big Red Ones, so if you go into it with that mentality, you hopefully will be pretty pleased.

View All The Baron of Arizona Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum
January 1, 2000
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Not one of Fuller's best films, though the subject is fascinatingly offbeat, the cinematography is by James Wong Howe, and no personal Fuller project is devoid of interest. Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
May 15, 2011
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

A Balzacian comedy recalled by a man who, like Fuller, can't help admiring a rogue who can wield ingenuity in a wolfish world Full Review

January 12, 2010
TV Guide's Movie Guide

This is a powerful and colorful film, the second to be directed by the gifted Fuller, which shows a large slice of pioneer life in early America. Full Review

Brian Holcomb
August 29, 2009
Brian Holcomb, Kinetofilm

The craziest true story I've never heard of that turned out to be pretty damn true. Even with Fuller shouting his own melodramatic version of the truth at the top of his lungs Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 5, 2009
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Starring Vincent Price, Sam Fuller's second feature is a bizarre noirish Western, marred by preposterous plotting, but extremely well shot by ace lesner James Wong Howe. Full Review

Keith Uhlich
August 17, 2007
Keith Uhlich, House Next Door

The Baron of Arizona (1950) is all thumbs, as much a forgery as the one perpetrated by its protagonist James Addison Reavis (Vincent Price). Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
March 28, 2005
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Tells a fabulous story loosely based on true events that are inefficiently worked out thereby making it seem unlikely. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

This list looks lonely.
Add a suggestion!

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

The Baron of Ariz... : Watch Free on TV

The Baron of Arizona Trivia

  • In a 1950 film by Samuel Fuller, Vincent Price portrayed a false Baron of wich state of the United States?  Answer »
More The Baron of Arizona Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for The Baron of Arizona. Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add The Baron of Arizona to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?