Arizona

A drifter (William Holden) helps the first American woman in Tucson (Jean Arthur) protect her freight line from Indians and conspirators.

Arizona is a solid western, held together by good performances from Jean Arthur and William Holden, as well as some great production values.

Jean Arthur, who looks great at 40, carries the film well. Her entrance is a little shaky—she looks like Ma Kettle as she struts into the saloon with a shotgun almost as big as her—but she quickly recovers and cranks up the charm as the film unwinds.

Opposite her, and almost half her age, is William Holden, who easily holds his own opposite Arthur. Further, despite the age difference, their romance is actually believable, due in large part to the excellent production values.

Arizona puts the audience in the sweltering frontier town of Tucson, which, at the film’s start, is little more than a large campsite. The people aren’t glamorous, they’re dirty and sweaty. Given that environment, the age difference between Holden and Arthur seems like a minor trifle, especially given that Arthur easily seems young enough to have children.

The script buy Claude Binyon is fairly by the numbers, but well put together, especially the somewhat unconventional ending. Further, it manages to avoid many of the pitfalls inherit in the premise, such as making Arthur’s character too implausible, or unlikable. Granted, Binyon fails to flesh out any of the characters outside of Holden’s and Arthur’s, but the film survives the oversight.