Gold, grudges, and grit collide as a wagon train blazes a path to California statehood.
CALIFORNIA
Mighty drama of men who were titans...and a woman who was their match!
Epic account of how California became a state, featuring a wagon train, the Gold Rush, a wicked saloon queen, and an evil profiteer.
Quick Answer
California is a 1947 American Western film directed by John Farrow about a disgraced former army lieutenant who leads a wagon train west during the California Gold Rush, crossing paths with a cunning saloon singer and a ruthless profiteer.
Programmer's Pick
Between a whip-smart saloon queen, a wagon train full of gold fever, and a villain whose name is literally Pharaoh Coffin, California doesn't skimp on melodrama or moral stakes. John Farrow's direction wrangles a star-packed cast through high-stakes poker, political gambits, and enough frontier brawling to keep your spurs jangling.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Details & Specs
- Director
- John Farrow
- Writers
- Theodore Strauss, Boris Ingster, Frank Butler, E.Y. Harburg
- Release
- 1947
- Runtime
- 1h 37m
- Country
- United States of America
- Language
- English
- Genres
- Western
Why This Matters
This Western marks Barbara Stanwyck's Technicolor debut, with her singing voice dubbed by Kay St. Germaine, and brings together a notable cast under the direction of John Farrow.
Cast & Crew
View all →
Why Cult
Experience the peril and promise of a wagon train blazing a trail to California at the height of Gold Rush mania.
Barbara Stanwyck's Lily Bishop brings sass and survival skills as she navigates card cheats and cutthroat rivals in Pharaoh City.
George Coulouris menaces as a power-hungry former slave trader bent on controlling a lawless town and blocking statehood.
The film ties personal ambition to the larger battle for California's statehood—with gold, elections, and dam-busting in the mix.
Scene Gallery
Questions from the Vault
When was California released? +
California was released in 1947.
Who directed California? +
California was directed by John Farrow.
How long is California? +
California has a runtime of 97 minutes.
What genre is California? +
California is a Western.
Where can I watch California? +
You can watch California on SassyFlix.
How does Lily Bishop navigate the dangers and opportunities of the California frontier? +
Lily Bishop survives accusations of cheating, violent confrontations, and shifting allegiances, ultimately running a saloon and aligning herself with powerful men in Pharaoh City.
