The Lone Ranger (1956 film)

The Lone Ranger is a 1956 Western film based on The Lone Ranger television series starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels. The Lone Ranger was the first of two theatrical features based on the series; it was followed by The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold in 1958.

Plot
In the American Southwest, the territorial governor enlists the help of the Lone Ranger to investigate mysterious raids on white settlers by Indians who ride with saddles. Wealthy rancher Reese Kilgore wants to expand his land to include Spirit Mountain, which is sacred to the local tribes. The Lone Ranger realizes that the natives wanted to keep settlers away so that they would not discover the rich silver deposits on the mountain, while Kilgore wants to encourage a war between settlers and natives so that he can mine the mountain himself. Working with Chief Red Hawk, the governor, Tonto, a cowboy named Ramirez and a humorous disguise, the Lone Ranger discovers the true identities of the raiders, prevents war, protects the tribal lands and rescues Kilgore's daughter from captivity.

Cast
The film was Bonita Granville's last credited film appearance. She had retired from the screen to marry Jack Wrather in 1947.
 * Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger
 * Jay Silverheels as Tonto
 * Lyle Bettger as Reese Kilgore
 * Bonita Granville as Welcome Kilgore
 * Perry Lopez as Pete Ramirez
 * Robert J. Wilke as Cassidy
 * John Pickard as Sheriff Sam Kimberley
 * Beverly Washburn as Lila Kilgore
 * Michael Ansara as Angry Horse
 * Frank DeKova as Chief Red Hawk
 * Charles Meredith as Governor
 * Mickey Simpson as Powder
 * Lane Chandler as Chip Walker
 * Zon Murray as Goss

Production
Parts of the film were shot in Kanab Canyon, Barracks Canyon and Johnson Canyon in Utah.

Reception
In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Bosley Crowther wrote: "You would think that, after all these years of championing law and order on the screen and radio, not to mention television, the Lone Ranger would be pooped. At least, you would think the people assigned to keeping him going would be tired—tired of all those endless cattle rustles, slashing fist-fights and western cliches. But apparently a new team at Warners has taken over the job of reviving the famous masked hero in all his glory in color and CinemaScope and has had at the task with the vigor of zealots inspired with a fresh idea. And 'The Lone Ranger,' which opened yesterday at the Mayfair, has the unwearied spirit of a noisy kid."

Accolades
The Lone Ranger was nominated for the American Film Institute's list AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains as a hero, while his line "Hi-Yo, Silver!" was nominated for the 2005 list AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes.