A
saloon casino worker and the man
she loves, a gifted dealer, set out for
a respectable life in a new town where
nobody knows about their past;
but they are torn apart by a jealous
woman who will stop at nothing to get
what she wants in the finely-paced
1950s Western One Desire...
TURNING UP AT THE WHITE PALACE CASINO AND SALOON, young Nugget Saunders
(Barry Curtis) has had enough of his uncle's cruelty and comes looking for his
brother Clint (a very handsome Rock Hudson: Giant).
Working as a dealer at the casino, he is well thought of by his colleagues,
including Tacey Cromwell (Anne Baxter: The Razor's Edge), who is in love
with Clint even though he will not commit to her. She refuses to give
up hope that they will be together and she takes Nugget under her wing, happy
to look after the boy.
One
Desire
ticks numerous boxes for
a first class Western
romance with morals,
tragedy, touching
moments and a fine cast.
Rock Hudson and
Anne Baxter are superb
as the star-crossed
lovers...
Tacey's
business partner "Mac" MacBain (William Hopper) is aghast when Clint hears of
the big silver strike in Randsberg, Colorado, and leaves The White Palace with
his brother, taking Tacey with him. At last Tacey, who was brought up in an
orphanage, believes she will be able to live respectably without anybody knowing
about her past.
Once
in Randsberg Tacey rents a house to live in with Nugget, leaving Clint to continue
to live at the hotel and maintaining her longing to become respectable. But
Clint soon catches the eye of banker's daughter Judith Watrous (Julie Adams:
General Hospital), who is used to getting exactly what she wants and
does not care what she has to do to get it.
Judith persuades the bank manager to take Clint on as a teller and introduces
him to her father, Senator Watrous (Carl Benton Reid), keen to show Clint a
more desirable lifestyle.
Tacey has also now taken in the orphaned Seely (Natalie Wood) and has befriended
her neighbour Mrs O'Dell (Betty Garde) and has found happiness in the children.
However, that happiness is soon shattered when, while Clint is away on business,
she is exposed as former dance hall girl and, heartbreakingly for them all,
she loses her guardianship of her beloved Nugget and Seely.
Returning to The White Palace, certain she will never see Clint again, Tacey
finally discovers who is responsible for her downfall and plots her revenge...
One Desire ticks numerous boxes for a first class Western romance with morals,
tragedy, touching moments and a fine cast. Rock Hudson and Anne Baxter are superb
as the star-crossed lovers.
One Desire also features: Adrienne Marden as Majorie Huggins; Fay Marley
as Flo; Vici Raaf as Kate; Howard Wright as Judge Richter Congin; and Edward
Earle as Mr Hathaway. Natalie's sister Lana Wood also makes a brief appearance
as The Little Girl.
Music is by Frank Skinner; Music Supervision by Joseph Gershenson; Director
of Photography is Maury Gertsman, ASC; Screenplay by Lawrence Roman and Robert
Blees, Based on the Novel Tacey Cromwell by Conrad Richter; Produced
by Ross Hunter; and Directed by Jerry Hopper.
*One
Desire is released on DVD in the UK by Simply Media on 4 July 2016. Certificate:
PG | Year: 1955 | Running Time: 90 Minutes | Catalogue Number: 164472 | RRP:
£12.99.
"One Desire ticks numerous boxes for a first class Western romance with
morals, tragedy, touching moments and a fine cast. Rock Hudson and Anne Baxter
are superb as the star-crossed lovers." ~ Maggie Woods