The Iron Mistress (1952)

In the early 19th century, Jim Bowie (Alan Ladd) leaves his home in the Louisiana bayou and heads to New Orleans. It's there that he meets and falls in love a beautiful duplicitous society vixen (Virginia Mayo). It's his love for her that will drive him to violence. Based on the novel by Paul Iselin Wellman and directed by Gordon Douglas (THEM!). This biopic on the life of Jim Bowie, best known as the inventor of the Bowie knife and one of the heroes of the Alamo, wastes precious little time with the truth. A fictionalized romance between Bowie and the scheming femme fatale played by Mayo provides the bulk of the movie's playing time. Just as well as it is the most entertaining part of the film. Ladd still looks good at this stage of his career though he's as wooden as he would be in SHANE the following year. Mayo is a treat to watch as she always is when playing the bad girl. Max Steiner did the nondescript score. With Phyllis Kirk, Joseph Calleia, Alf Kjellin, Douglas Dick, Robert Emhardt and Ann Codee.