Lust For Gold (1949)

In 1880 Arizona, a German immigrant (Glenn Ford) follows a Mexican man (Antonio Moreno) looking for a "lost" goldmine into the area known as Superstition Mountain. When the man finds the mine, the immigrant kills the Mexican in cold blood as well as his own partner (Edgar Buchanan). But a scheming woman (Ida Lupino) and her husband (Gig Young) plot to dupe the newly rich German out of his gold. Based on THUNDER GOD'S GOLD by Barry Storm (played by William Prince in the film) and directed by S. Sylvan Simon (THE FULLER BRUSH MAN). If there is such a thing as a western noir, this is it. Although reputedly based on a "true" story, I'd venture to say based on a local legend. The first 20 minutes which take place in the 1940s is exposition before going to a flashback which is the bulk of the film and the film's last 15 minutes brings us back to the 1940s and the film's conclusion. The movie's contemporary framing device is the movie's weakest part but the core story is quite good. The three main protagonists are all morally rotten so you can't empathize with them but that doesn't deter one's enjoyment in this juicy tale of lust and greed and a horrific revenge. With Paul Ford, Will Geer, Arthur Hunnicutt, Hayden Rorke and Jay Silverheels.