The Gal Who Took the West (1949)

In 1890s Arizona, General Michael O'Hara, the O'Hara family patriarch, builds an opera house and sends for an opera singer from the East. Unknown to everyone, the Eastern theatrical agent substitutes a real but unattractive opera singer for his own niece who is stunningly beautiful but is no opera singer. Her name is Lillian Marlowe and her singing is more vaudevillian and saloon-like rather than operatic. The O'Hara family owns much of the land and cattle in the region. However, the two nephews of General Michael O'Hara, Lee and Grant, do not get along. Only one of them stands to inherit the O'Hara fortune, once the General passes away. The whole region fears a bloody feud between the two young cousins after the eventual passing of the family patriarch. To make matters worse, when the attractive opera singer from the East arrives in town, to fulfill her singing contract with the O'Hara opera house, the two young O'Haras fall in-love with her. Unfortunately, pretty Lillian Marlowe also falls in-love with Lee and Grant O'Hara and cannot make-up her mind which one she wants. Both O'Hara cousins are handsome, romantic, quick with the gun, and rich. A poor Eastern girl's dream come true. The two young O'Hara cousins start a feud over Lillian. The family patriarch, General Michael O'Hara, tries his best to keep his nephews from killing one another. On occasion, the old General has to resort to using his cavalry troops to keep Lee and Grant apart. The old man even tries to bribe Lillian with money to force her to leave town and return home back East but she refuses. Taking turns, Lee and Grant kidnap Lillian and propose marriage to her. Lillian remains vague and undecided. But with tension escalating between Lee and Grant, aided by their respective gunfighter crews, Lillian has to act. She promises to announce her final choice for husband, at a family meeting at the O'Hara ranch. The patriarch is also on hand to mediate between Lee and Grant. On arrival, Lee and Grant are deprived of their guns by the worried patriarch. However, the negotiation degenerates into a fistfight. Pretty Lillian saves the day by playing a little trick on her suitors.