Tennessee's Partner (1955)

An intriguing friendship forged between high-stakes gambler Tennessee (John Payne) and quick draw Cowpoke (Ronald Reagan) is tested when temptress gold-digger Goldie (Coleen Gray) bewitches Cowpoke into marrying him. Meanwhile, Tennessee has been maintaining an uneasy relationship with The Duchess (Rhonda Fleming), madame of a gambling establishment which serves as smokescreen to the bordello she operates. In the end, Cowpoke proves to be true-blue when Tennessee is framed on a false rap. Bonus Features: Original Theatrical Trailer| Scene Selection. Specs: DVD5; Dolby Digital Mono; 87 minutes; Color; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR: Year - 1955; SRP - $9.99.

This film is also available as part of a double feature for less money on Amazon

This great flick is also available as part of a double feature (Cattle Queen of Montana/Tennessee's Partner which sells for less money than EITHER of the films sell for separately!

Both films have great transfers and it seems to be released by the same company! April 2, 2008

Co-stars John Payne and Ronald Reagan join forces as the Gambler and the Cowboy

Former song and dance man turned action-man hero John Payne plays Tennessee whilst Ronald Reagan plays Cowpoke (we never know their real names) both had done recent westerns in 1954 under veteran director Allan Dwan, Payne in Silver Lode and Reagan in Cattle Queen of Montana with Barbara Stanwyk. In all Dwan made ten films for producer (including the above) Benedict Bogeaus of which Tennessee's Partner was said to be his favourite. John Alton was the highly regarded cinematographer for all the above westerns.

Payne is the moustachioed gambler in the gold-mining town of Sandy Bar. Reagan is the cowboy who rides into town and saves his life. In return Payne feels he must expose the girl Reagan is about to marry as a gold-digger. Emotions run deep as Cowpoke sets out to track Tennessee down and kill him. Rhonda Fleming plays Tennessee's girlfriend Duchess who runs the saloon called "The Marriage Market" Coleen Gray plays the gold-digging girlfriend aptly named Goldie. Look out for a young Angie Dickinson as Abby Dean one of the saloon girls. Anthony Caruso is the main villain of the piece whilst Leo Gordon turns in a strong performance as the no-nonsense sheriff.

By the 1950's the traditional "B" westerns had more or less faded out, they were replaced by co-features or supporting films as they were sometimes known. Made in Technicolor and running for eighty-odd minutes with western stars of some standing like Joel McCrea, Randolph Scott, Rory Calhoun and others. Now, we can see many of these films again in their true glory thanks to VCI Entertainment for these digitally re-mastered prints. Tennessee's Partner is one the best of these films on DVD.

In 1959 John Payne survived a terrible car accident, putting him out of work for two or more years, as a result of this his film output was never the same again. He died in 1989 aged 77 years. Reagan at this time was President of the Screen Actors Guild and moving into mainline politics became Governor of California in 1966. In 1970 he was elected as the 40th President of the United States of America, surviving a assassination attempt early in his presidency, he went on to serve two full terms. Not bad for a "B" movie cowboy!



May 5, 2006

"all the excitement and gusto of the real west ~ Tennessee's Partner (1955)"

VCI Entertainment presents "Tennessee's Partner" (1955) (Dolby digitally remastered)...an RKO Pictures production featuring John Payne, Ronald Reagan and Rhonda fleming...story line is based on a Bret Harte writings as our story takes place in a gold mining town in California where gambler John Payne finds it easier to take money at the poker table than digging for gold...a stranger riding into town played by Ronald Reagan saves Payne from being shot in the back...Reagan only known as Cowpoke becomes Tennessee's partner....but the town is full of rough characters including Coleen Gray who's name is Goldie and that my friend is what she's after...Payne had known her before and is trying to save Reagan from a trip down the aisle, can he succeed....the story lines are excellent with outstanding action scenes and production with over an hours worth of entertainment ...this above average B-Western will keep you guessing to the very last scene...what is the "Marriage Market" and who runs it...who is the gambling man called "Tennessee, and what secret must he keep from his best friend...why has this "Stranger in Town" come calling...what part in this drama does Goldie play, what of her past...at the poker table who holds the winning hand when calling the bet...a map has been stolen, who has it and will murder be the final scene...don't leave the theater you're about to find out...no one will ever forget Tennessee and Cowpoke, even though we never find out their real names...all the guts and gusto of the real west as it really was...never such men, never such women and will be again...relive those thrilling days when good friendship, romance and drama took us down the dusty trails and into the mining camps to exciting adventures.

Under director Allan Dwan, producer Benedict Bogeaus with original story by Bret Harte, screenplay by C. Graham Baker, D.d. Beauchamp, Milton Krims, Teddi Sherman, music composed by Louis Forbes...the cast include John Payne (Tennessee), Ronald Reagan (Cowpoke), Rhonda Fleming (Elizabeth "Duchess" Farnham), Coleen Grey (Goldie Slater), Anthony Caruso (Turner), Morris Ankrum (Judge Parker), Leo Gordon (The Sheriff), Chubby Johnson (Grubstake McNiven), Joe Devlin (Prendergast), Myron Healey (Reynolds), John Mansfield (Clifford), Angie Dickinson (Abby Dean, Saloon Girl)....there is a great deal of entertainment here for "B-Western" fans out there...all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features like this one.

SCENE SELECT:
1. Marriage Market
2. Tennessee
3. Stranger in Town
4. Goldie
5. The Happy Couple
6. Calling the Bet
7. A Better Idea
8. Grubstake's Gold
9. Gold Craze
10.Murder
11.The Map
12.Stolen Claim

SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. "Cattle Queen of Montana (original theatrical trailer)
2. "Tennessee Partner" (John Payne & Ronald Reagan)
3. "The Lone Ranger" (thunders to the motion picture screen) (restored trailer)
4. "The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold" (restored trailer) (Golden Book Entertaiment)

Own them now on DVD....if you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the above...if you enjoyed this feature check out another as VCI Entertainment presents "Cattle Queen of Montana" (1954) (Dolby digitally remastered)...an RKO Pictures production featuring Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan...story line has Sierra Nevada Jones (Stanwyck) and her father (Ankrum) arriving in Montana to file their claim for some prime ranch land...while camping and bedding down the cattle Natchakoa (Caruso) with his band of renegade tribesmen raid the camp and steal the cattle...land owner and neighbor McCord (Evans) is behind all of the bad events that happen to Sierra...with the help of Colorados (Fuller) son of the chief who has attended the whitemans college is trying to bring peace between the Indian and townspeople...is Farrell (Reagan) who is working for McCord and his henchman Yost (Jack Elam) help Sierra Jones...can Farrell who is a hired gun be working for the army undercover...will his fast gun help turn the tide for the Cattle Queen of Montana...this above average B-Western will keep you guessing to the very last scene.

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing the "Tennessee's Partner" (1955), digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with a top notch Westerns from VCI...so saddle up and get ready for some hard riding and adventure that only VCI Entertainment (King of the Serials) can deliver...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 87 mins on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment 8293 ~ (2/12/2002) October 28, 2005

'Classic Western Tale By Bret Harte!'

'Tennessee's Partner' is a terrific saga based on the novel by the famous Western author Bret Harte.

Beautifully produced by RKO studios in 1955, and filmed in gorgeous Technicolor, this film stars the underated actor
John Payne, as the shrewd, but honest card expert Tennessee. He has no friends in the entire town, except for his dance hall girlfriend played by Rhonda Fleming, whose flaming red hair is spectacular in Technicolor! Tennessee walks into an ambush and is nearly murdered by a losing player,when his life is saved by a cowpoke who wanders into town. He even calls himself Cowpoke, and he is a complete straight-shooting arrow, played wonderfully by Ronald Reagan! Reagan becomes Tennesee's pal and partner, and Tennessee returns the favor by preventing Cowpoke from marrying an obvious goldigger!

In the end, another bushwacker attempts to shoot Tennessee in the back, but loyal Cowpoke deliberately stands in the line of fire, taking the bullet for his pal. Tennessee nearly kills the villain, who is played flawlessly by Anthony Caruso, but instead decides to hand him over to the law. However, Cowpoke dies and a stunned, grief-stricken John Payne stands over his friend's body and says aloud, 'I never even knew his name!' Tennessee buries his only friend, marries his girl and makes for a fresh start out in San Francisco.

'Tennessee's Partner' is a classic, western morality play, directed by Allan Dwan, and the entire cast gives first-rate performances. The DVD quality is top knotch. June 2, 2003

tennesee's partner

A good movie from RKO in the fifties. The style of the movie is represenative of that era. The stars, John Payne and Rhonda Fleming, do fine with the material. Ronald Reagan in the supporting role fits well. What is distinguishing about this film is the surprise climax. Don't look for realism or the dust and dirt of the old west, just some good entertainment. May 9, 2003

More reviews at Amazon.com ...