Foxfire (1955)

While vacationing in Arizona, a wealthy East Coast socialite (Jane Russell) meets an engineer (Jeff Chandler) who works in a local copper mine. The attraction is immediate and the marriage rushed. But their cultural differences and values threaten to derail the marriage before it even begins. Based on the best selling novel by Anya Seton (DRAGONWYCK) and directed by Joseph Pevney (TAMMY AND THE BACHELOR). The film has a bit more bite to it than the average soap opera and while it does so only superficially, it does attempt to explore the cultural differences (Chandler's character is half Apache) which impact their marriage, specifically the place of women in the Apache culture which clashes with Russell's modern woman. Chandler gives one of his best performances here but the earthy and sensual Russell seems miscast as a Manhattan society blue blood (the role cries out for a Grace Kelly type). But it's an enjoyable melodrama if you don't demand too much. The film looks great as photographed by William H. Daniels (CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF) and it was the very last film to be photographed in the three strip Technicolor process. With Dan Duryea, Mara Corday, Barton MacLane, Frieda Inescort, Celia Lovsky and Robert F. Simon.