The Rare Breed

The Rare Breed is a 1966 American Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring James Stewart, Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith in Panavision. Loosely based on the life of rancher Col. John William Burgess, the film follows Martha Evans' (O'Hara) quest to fulfill her deceased husband's dream of introducing Hereford cattle to the American West. The film was one of the early major productions to be scored by John Williams, who was billed as "Johnny Williams" in the opening credits.

Plot 
In 1884, Martha Evans and her daughter Hilary sail to the United States from England, pursuing the dream of Martha's husband, who dies on board, to bring Hereford cattle to the West. They are left with Hilary's bull named Vindicator. He exhibits the gentility of breeding, including an odd willingness to follow Hilary at the whistle of "God Save the Queen."

At auction, Vindicator is the object of a bidding war won by Charles Ellsworth, who has come to purchase stock for his partner, Texas rancher Alexander Bowen. Sam ‘Bulldog’ Burnett, a local wrangler, is hired to transport the bull to Bowen's ranch. Ellsworth bought the bull primarily to woo Martha, who decides to ensure Vindicator's delivery by accompanying him to his destination.

Hilary learns that Burnett has made a deal with competing rancher John Taylor to steal the bull. Hilary does not yet know that Burnett made the deal mostly to ensure that an injured wrangler, double-crossed by Taylor, would receive money to take care of himself and his wife. One of Taylor's men, Deke Simons, gets into a fight with Burnett over the terms of the journey. Martha, witnessing the brawl, comes to trust Burnett. Despite his objections, he accepts responsibility for the Evans women on the train ride to Dodge City and the trip down the wagon trail.

One night while Evans and Burnett have finished brewing coffee over the campfire, a gunshot knocks the coffee pot out of Burnett's hand. Burnett believes this is a signal from Taylor's men, who find a barbed wire fence that has been cut for the Evans' wagon to pass. They conclude that Burnett  double-crossed them. Simons, determined to catch up with Burnett, shoots his companion and rides after the wagon.

In a canyon, Burnett runs into Jamie Bowen, Alexander's son, who has appropriated a herd of his father's longhorn cattle as payment for his work and is running away to start his own ranch. Simons catches up with Burnett and shoots a cowhand, setting off a stampede. Jamie falls in the path of the cattle and is trampled.

Battered and unconscious, Jamie is carried to the Evans' wagon. Simons is there, holding Evans and her daughter hostage. He demands the money Burnett was paid by Taylor for the bull. Simons also demands the women's money, but Burnett grabs his rifle. Simons gallops away; Burnett follows. After their horses collide, Simons falls onto a rock and dies.

Burnett returns with the money, to be berated by Martha for his dishonesty and the trouble he has caused. After a few days of travel, they reach the Bowen ranch.

There they are introduced to Jamie's father, Alexander Bowen, a retired Scottish military officer turned cattle rancher. While Hilary nurses Jamie back to health, Martha begins teaching the local children in school. Bowen and Burnett insist that the Evans women should leave for the East before they are snowed in,  but they refuse to go until Jamie is well and they have taught the men to properly care for Vindicator.

Bowen insists that Hereford cattle cannot survive the tough conditions of North Texas, making them unsuitable for ranching. Martha realizes that until Vindicator proves himself, they will never have the men on their side. Hilary then releases Vindicator into the wild.

The Evans women announce it is time for them to go. Jamie insists that he is in love with Hilary, who returns the proclamation. Martha realizes she needs to stay as well. This suits Bowen and Burnett, who both love Martha.

A brutal winter arrives, and Burnett insists on finding Vindicator and bringing him back to shelter. Despite making repeated trips to the range, he cannot find the bull. Bowen is sure Vindicator is dead but tells Burnett he can have any calves that may have been sired by him. 

When spring arrives, Burnett resumes searching for Vindicator, hoping for calves. He begins building a new ranch, where the animals are treated better and Herefords can thrive. After finding Vindicator under a snowdrift, he still insists calves may be coming. 

Reluctantly, Martha agrees to marry Bowen - but only after there is no more chance of calves from Vindicator. Burnett finds a crossbred Hereford calf and brings it to Bowen's fort. The two fight over Martha, Burnett declares his love for her, and Bowen steps aside.

An entire herd of Herefords is later seen, with Martha and Burnett musing they are glad they kept "a few longhorns, to remember the way it used to be." Hilary and Jamie, now married, ride up. Hilary whistles "God Save The Queen", hoping one of the cattle descended from Vindicator will respond, and claims, "Sometimes, I see a glimmer of him in one of them."

Cast
 James Stewart as Sam Burnett
 Maureen O'Hara as Martha Evans
 Brian Keith as Alexander Bowen
 Juliet Mills as Hilary Price
 Don Galloway as Jamie Bowen
 David Brian as Charles Ellsworth
 Jack Elam as Deke Simons
 Ben Johnson as Jeff Harter
 Harry Carey Jr. as Ed Mabry
 Perry Lopez as Juan
 Larry Domasin as Alberto
 Silvia Marino as Conchita
 Alan Caillou as Taylor
 Gregg Palmer as Rodenbush
 Barbara Werle as Gert
 Joe Ferrante Estaban
 James O'Hara as Sagamon (as Jimmy O'Hara)

Production 
Portions of the film were shot in the Coachella Valley, California. Train scenes were filmed in the Red Hills area near Jamestown in Tuolumne County, California, utilizing the famous Sierra Railway 3 locomotive.

References

External links
 
 
 
 
 

1966 films
1960s Western (genre) comedy films
1966 drama films
1960s historical drama films
American Western (genre) comedy films
American historical drama films
1960s English-language films
Films directed by Andrew McLaglen
Films scored by John Williams
Films set in Texas
Films shot in California
Universal Pictures films
1960s American films