You are here:

Montana Belle

Name: Montana Belle
Director: Allan Dwan
Released: 1952
Duration: 82 min

Representation Score

1.7/10

Minimal

1952

Approved

Director

Allan Dwan

Runtime

82 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Montana Belle presents a contrast between progressive casting and traditional narrative structures. By casting a Latina actress in a central role, the film challenges the racial homogeneity typical of 1950s Westerns. However, the plot remains confined by the era's social norms, focusing on straight-centered romantic competition and reinforcing traditional social hierarchies.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Montana Belle have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows a traditional romantic structure centered around male competition for a female lead. There are no characters representing non-straight or non-cisgender identities.

How does Montana Belle portray gender?

Fair

Belle Starr shows physical strength and skill with firearms and horses, but her role is defined by her position as a romantic interest for male characters.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Montana Belle?

Fair

The casting of a Latina actress in the lead role adds ethnic diversity to a 1952 Western, challenging the era's typical Anglo-Saxon casting.

How does Montana Belle represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story adheres to conventional Western themes, emphasizing frontier lawlessness and individualistic romance. It upholds traditional social hierarchies without critiquing Western institutions.

Does Montana Belle include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities in the narrative.

Present on Screen

The film casts a Latina actress in a prominent role, breaking the era's typical racial homogeneity.
The protagonist showcases physical skills such as horsemanship and proficiency with firearms.

Limited or Absent

The narrative remains focused on male competition for a female lead, adhering to straight-centered structures.
The film upholds traditional Western social hierarchies without offering critiques of institutional norms.
The female lead's role is often defined by her position as a romantic object of desire.

Official Synopsis

Oklahoma outlaw Belle Starr meets the Dalton gang when rescued from lynching by Bob Dalton, who falls for her. So do gang member Mac and wealthy saloon owner Tom Bradfield, who's enlisted in a bankers' scheme to trap the Daltons. Discord among the gang and Bradfield's ambivalence complicates things, as Belle demonstrates her prowess with shootin' irons and horses, and as a surprisingly racy saloon entertainer.

How are these scores produced? →