Slaughter Trail is a 1951 Cinecolor Western film produced and directed by Irving Allen, filmed in Corriganville and released by RKO Pictures.
Originally the film was shot with Howard Da Silva in the lead. After he was accused of Communist leanings, RKO ordered DaSilva's scenes reshot with Brian Donlevy.p.107 Magers, Boyd & Fitzgerald, Michael G Western Women: Interviews with 50 Leading Ladies of Film and Television 2004 McFarland
Allen reshot the film in three days and sold it to RKO for $200,000.Allen at Helm of Production Thomas, Kevin. Los Angeles Times 6 July 1967: e14.
Like High Noon, Slaughter Trail has continuing ballads throughout the film that ask and answer questions as well as narrate the story.p.49McFarlane, Brian & Mayer, Geoff New Australian Cinema: Sources and Parallels in American and British Film 1992 Cambridge University Press It may be debated whether the film was made "straight," or was satiric, due to the even then well known Western set pieces such as a stagecoach holdup, Indian attacks, and the army standing between hostile Indians and townspeople being commented on by songs that often break the fourth wall. The writer of the film Sid Kuller was a well known comedy writer and also wrote some of the film's songs. One of the film's songs I Wish I Was became a hit song of the year.
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