The Girl of the Golden West is a 1938 American musical Western film adapted from the 1905 play of the same name by David Belasco, better known for providing the plot of the opera La fanciulla del West by Giacomo Puccini. A frontier woman falls in love with an outlaw.
Plot
In a remote mining camp in California, a group of miners seeks their fortune during the Gold Rush. The miners frequent a saloon run by Minnie, who is known as the "Girl of the Golden West." Minnie is beloved by the miners.
Minnie's life takes a turn when a notorious bandit and outlaw named Dick Johnson arrives in town under the alias "Ramerrez." He is on the run from the law, and when he takes refuge in Minnie's saloon, he and Minnie quickly fall in love. Minnie, unaware of his true identity, shelters and protects him.
Sheriff Jack Rance, who is infatuated with Minnie, becomes suspicious of the newcomer and starts investigating Ramerrez's background. Rance discovers Ramerrez's true identity and plans to capture him. Minnie is torn between her love for Ramerrez and her loyalty to the miners and her sense of justice. Minnie must make a difficult choice that will determine the fate of the man she loves.
Cast
Jeanette MacDonald as Mary Robbins
Nelson Eddy as Ramerez
Walter Pidgeon as Sheriff Jack Rance
Leo Carrillo as Mosquito
Buddy Ebsen as Alabama
Leonard Penn as Pedro
Priscilla Lawson as Nina Martinez
Bob Murphy as Sonora Slim
Olin Howland as Trinidad Joe
Cliff Edwards as Minstrel Joe
Billy Bevan as Nick
Brandon Tynan as The Professor
H.B. Warner as Father Sienna
Monty Woolley as The Governor
Charley Grapewin as Uncle Davy (in prologue) Noah Beery Sr. as The General – in prologue (as Noah Beery Sr.) Bill Cody Jr. as Gringo (young Ramirez; in prologue) Jeanne Ellis as Young Mary Robbins (in prologue) Ynez Seabury as Wowkle
Soundtrack
Sun-Up to Sun Down; Played during the opening credits
Music by Sigmund Romberg
Lyrics by Gus Kahn
Sung by Jeanne Ellis and the pioneers in the prologue
Shadows On The Moon
Music by Sigmund Romberg
Lyrics by Gus Kahn
Sung by Jeanne Ellis at a campfire in the prologue
Reprised by Jeanette MacDonald
Whistled and hummed by Nelson Eddy
Soldiers Of Fortune
Music by Sigmund Romberg
Lyrics by Gus Kahn
Sung by Noah Beery and his men in the prologue, Bill Cody Jr. (dubbed by Raymond Chace) in the prologue Reprised by Nelson Eddy and his men The Wind In The Trees Music by Sigmund Romberg Lyrics by Gus Kahn Sung by Jeanette MacDonald Played on a fife by Buddy Ebsen Gwine to Rune All Night (1850); (De Camptown Races) Written by Stephen Foster Played as background music in the saloon Polly Wolly Doodle Lyrics by Gus Kahn Played on piano by Brandon Tynan Sung by Jeanette MacDonald Ave Maria Music by Charles Gounod Adopted from the First Prelude in The Well-Termpered Clavier By Johann Sebastian Bach Played on an organ by H.B. Warner Sung by Jeanette MacDonald and chorus Señorita Music by Sigmund Romberg Lyrics by Gus Kahn Sung by Nelson Eddy and party guests Reprised by Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy Mariache Music by Sigmund Romberg Lyrics by Gus Kahn Additional lyrics by Carlos Ruffino Translation for Spanish lyrics by Zacharias Yaconelli (uncredited) Sung by Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy and chorus Danced to by the party guests The West Ain't Wild Anymore Music by Sigmund Romberg Lyrics by Gus Kahn Sung by Buddy Ebsen Who Are We To Say Music by Sigmund Romberg Lyrics by Gus Kahn Sung by Nelson Eddy Hummed by Jeanette MacDonald Reprised on piano by Brandon Tynan and sung by Jeanette MacDonald The Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 Written by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Played on a banjo and hummed by Cliff Edwards
Box office
According to MGM records the film earned $2,882,000 resulting in a profit of $243,000.