• The Outcasts Of Poker Flat Short Story
• 19th Century Short Story Writer Known For The Outcasts Of Poker Flat
• The Outcasts Of Poker Flat Short Story Pdf
• Outcasts Of Poker Flat Pdf

The Outcasts of Poker Flat is a 1952 American Western film directed by Joseph M. Newman and starring Anne Baxter and Dale Robertson.^[1] The screenplay is based on a short story of the same name by Bret Harte. Harte's story has been brought to film at least five times, including in 1919 with Harry Carey and in 1937 with Preston Foster.

One of his short stories, “The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” deals with changing stereotypes. The short story begins when the “bad” people are kicked out of a mining town called Poker Flat. The people of the town were not really good people, but they judge the others and banished them. Although the archetypal characters are typical, by the.

1. The short story “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” is one major journey, not physically, but mentally for the characters. Though the story ends in tragedy, most of the characters go through major mental changes before their untimely deaths.
2. The core story of “The Outcasts of Poker Flat”—a group of travelers get stranded in the snowy mountains, rations run low, and nearly everyone dies—feels reminiscent of the story of the Donner Party, a group of American pioneers who made the long trek to California from the Midwest via a wagon train.

Plot[edit]

Ryker, a murderous western outlaw, leaves death and destruction behind after a robbery in Poker Flat and leaves the loot with his wife, Cal, before riding off. A while later, the shaken town decides to banish all undesirables. They include gambler John Oakhurst, saloonkeeper and madam The Duchess and the town drunk, as well as Cal, who had been spotted with Ryker, even though no one knows they are husband and wife.

The others follow Oakhurst, not knowing what else to do. They come across young Tom Dakin and pregnant sweetheart Piney, who were headed for Poker Flat to be wed. In a snowstorm, John leads them to a remote cabin. They have no horses, so Tom takes off for Poker Flat on foot to get help, given $500 of the stolen money by Cal in case he needs to pay someone to form a rescue party.

Ryker turns up, also on foot. He is shocked to find Cal, becomes suspicious and beats her, as well as bullying the others and eating all of their remaining food. He shoots the drunk just for taking a bottle of whiskey. Cal develops a bond with Oakhurst and eventually reveals her situation to him. A fight begins after Ryker shoots and kills The Duchess in cold blood, and Oakhurst is able to strangle him to death. Some head back toward town, while Oakhurst and Cal go the other way.

Cast[edit]

• Anne Baxter as Cal
• Dale Robertson as John Oakhurst
• Miriam Hopkins as Mrs. Shipton aka 'The Duchess'
• Cameron Mitchell as Ryker
• Craig Hill as Tom Dakin
• Barbara Bates as Piney Wilson
• William H. Lynn as Jake Watterson
• Dick Rich as Drunk

References[edit]

1. ^The Outcasts of Poker Flat at the American Film Institute Catalog

External links[edit]

• The Outcasts of Poker Flat on IMDb
• The Outcasts of Poker Flat at AllMovie
• The Outcasts of Poker Flat at the TCM Movie Database

The Outcasts of Poker Flat is a 1937 American Western film directed by Christy Cabanne and written by John Twist and Harry Segall. The film stars Preston Foster, Jean Muir, Van Heflin, Virginia Weidler and Margaret Irving. The film was released on April 16, 1937, by RKO Pictures.^[1][2][3]

The screenplay is based on the short story The Outcasts of Poker Flat by Bret Harte, which has been brought to film at least five times, including in 1919 The Outcasts of Poker Flat with Harry Carey and in 1952 The Outcasts of Poker Flat with Dale Robertson.

Plot[edit]

A gunfighter and gambler, John Oakhurst ends up caring for a baby girl whose mother dies in childbirth. He decides to call her 'Luck' and looks to new schoolmarm Helen Colby and the Rev. Sam Woods to set a good example for the girl.

Luck grows up and Poker Flat grows into a boom town. One day while John and the reverend are quarreling about the bad element John and his partner The Duchess permit in their gambling house, Luck ends up playing cards with Sonoma, a vicious outlaw. A furious John explodes at Helen, feeling she was supposed to be keeping an eye on Luck at the time. Helen decides to leave town, but Luck convinces her that John loves her.

The Outcasts Of Poker Flat Short Story

Determined to change into a better man, John refuses to be goaded into a showdown by Sonoma, at least until The Duchess taunts him, whereupon he shoots dead Sonoma and another man. A vigilante group orders John and The Duchess out of town and Helen goes along. Their horses are stolen and, in the mountains in winter, The Duchess freezes to death. Helen nearly dies, but just as Luck rides up to rescue her, they find that John, feeling guilt for what he's done, has taken his own life.

Cast[edit]

• Preston Foster as John Oakhurst
• Jean Muir as Miss Helen Colby
• Van Heflin as Reverend Sam Woods
• Virginia Weidler as Luck
• Margaret Irving as The Duchess
• Frank M. Thomas as Mr. Bedford
• Si Jenks as Kentuck
• Dick Elliott as Stumpy Carter
• Al St. John as Uncle Billy
• Bradley Page as Sonoma
• Richard Lane as High-Grade
• Monte Blue as Indian Jim
• Billy Gilbert as Charley
• Dudley Clements as Wilkes

19th Century Short Story Writer Known For The Outcasts Of Poker Flat

References[edit]

1. ^'The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1937) – Overview'. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
2. ^'Movie Review – The Outcasts of Poker Flat'. NYTimes.com: The Screen. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
3. ^'The Outcasts Of Poker Flat Trailer, Reviews and Schedule for The Outcasts Of Poker Flat'. TV Guide.com. Retrieved 10 September 2014.

The Outcasts Of Poker Flat Short Story Pdf

External links[edit]

• The Outcasts of Poker Flat on IMDb

Outcasts Of Poker Flat Pdf