Dearest Enemy
Dearest Enemy

Dearest Enemy

1955Movie77 minEnglish

This live TV adaptation of the Broadway musical "Dearest Enemy" from 1925 is based on an American Revolutionary War incident in September 1776 when Mary Lindley Murray, under orders from General George Washington, detained General William Howe and his British troops by serving them cake, wine and conversation in her Kips Bay, Manhattan home long enough for some 4,000 American soldiers, fleeing their loss in the Battle of Brooklyn, to reassemble in Washington Heights and join reinforcements to make a successful counterattack.

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IMDb6.1/10
Director: Lesley SelanderGenres: Western

Plot Summary

A lone rancher finds himself in a quandary when a group of suffragettes arrives in the lawless frontier town of Redemption. Led by the determined Evelyn Hope, the women aim to establish a new community, but they soon clash with the town's rough inhabitants and the corrupt sheriff. The rancher must navigate this unusual conflict, protecting the women while dealing with his own complicated feelings for Evelyn.

Critical Reception

Dearest Enemy is a lesser-known Western that offers a unique premise by pitting determined suffragettes against a typical frontier town. While it doesn't reach the heights of more iconic Westerns, it provides a modest dose of action and a novel social commentary for its time. Audience reception was generally lukewarm, appreciating the novel concept but finding the execution somewhat conventional.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its unconventional premise of suffragettes in a Western setting.
  • Cited for its modest action sequences and straightforward narrative.
  • Noted as a B-movie with a somewhat predictable plot.

Google audience: Audience reviews are scarce for this film. Those that exist tend to be neutral, acknowledging the interesting premise but not highlighting any particularly outstanding elements.

Fun Fact

The film's director, Lesley Selander, was a prolific director of Westerns, having helmed over 100 films in the genre throughout his career, often for Poverty Row studios.

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