Susan Hayward

1850 adventure story of the Basque immigrants on their way to California, their struggle with the Indians, and the development of a complicated love triangle. In 1847, a group of fifty-two French Basques, including women and children, sets-out from Independence, Missouri to California. These settlers left Europe behind to escape the famine, unrest and aftermaths of the Napoleonic Wars. They bring with them their few belongings, customs and a few grapevines they hope to plant into the fertile Californian soil. They learn English on-the-fly from the younger men who speak it a little. In Independence, they purchase wagons, mules and provisions. They also hire a local trail master for a fee. The trail master, Lon Bennett, is skilled but he likes women and booze too much. When Lon Bennett learns that his Basques only have seven wagons he argues they should join a major wagon train of 20-30 wagons. Strength in numbers, no doubt, but large wagon trains could take weeks to assemble and the Basques cannot wait. Bennett tries to bail-out of his commitment but he already had spent the fee the Basques paid him by partying in the local hotel-saloon with women and friends. Having no choice, Bennett assembles the small wagon train. He is amazed at the Basques' particular customs, traditions, superstitions and morality. He tries to change some of their traditional habits arguing that in the Wild West safety is more important than customs and traditions. But the Basques are a proud and stubborn people and refuse to change their ways. As the wagon train heads West, Bennett becomes obsessed with Gabrielle Dauphin, the beautiful wife of the Basque leader. He repeatedly forces his attentions on her but she rejects him every time. Due to an unfortunate accident Gabrielle's husband is killed and many Basques want to return to Independence. Gabrielle Dauphin convinces them to continue toward California. The brother of her deceased husband becomes her protector and presumptive future husband, according to their customs. When the wagon train hits a desert, the scout advises the group to ration water and abandon their furniture and other useless belongings. Horses start to die of heat and thirst. A known water well in their path is dry. The scout advises to continue through the desert but Gabrielle wants to head toward the mountains, where water surely flows. Bennett is against this plan since the mountains are inhabited by Indians. However, the Basques decide to listen to Gabrielle and they all agree to head toward the mountains but not before Bennett and Gabrielle's new fiance, Pepe, have a fistfight among the sand dunes. The two men fight over Gabrielle. Bennett wins the fight but the Basques disarm him to make sure he's under control. In the mountains, they finally find water but they are spotted by Indians. Bennett is convinced the Indians will attack their wagon train during an ambush. Therefore, Bennett and the Basques come up with a daring plan. While the wagon train, loaded with the women, children and the elderly, continues its journey through the mountain pass, the men will execute a surprise attack against the unsuspecting Indians. They hope to distract the Indians' attention from the passing wagons. The Basques are fierce mountain fighters but the Indians outnumber them. Nevertheless, these settlers must fight for their dreams of California. —nufs68

In Tulsa, after a rancher dies during a feud with a major oil company, his daughter, driven by revenge, starts digging for oil herself. It's Tulsa, Oklahoma at the start of the oil boom and Cherokee Lansing's rancher father is killed in a fight with the Tanner Oil Company. Cherokee plans revenge by bringing in her own wells with the help of oil expert Brad Brady and childhood friend Jim Redbird. When the oil and the money start gushing in, both Brad and Jim want to protect the land but Cherokee has different ideas. What started out as revenge for her father's death has turned into an obsession for wealth and power. —A.L.Beneteau <albl@inforamp.net> Tells of the burgeoning oil industry in 1920s Oklahoma centered on Tulsa, which has experienced an economic boom because of it, and the often confrontational juxtaposition with the established cattle ranching community, the two industries largely fighting for use of the same land. On one far end is oil man Bruce Tanner, who believes in pumping out as much oil as quickly as possible to maximize wealth no matter the consequence to others. On the other end is native landowner and rancher Jim Redbird, who is not averse to the extra income from pumping for oil on his land as long as it does not negatively affect his ability to ranch. In the middle is geologist Brad Brady who initially comes into the business to maximize the possibility of striking oil as opposed to pure speculation, but who ends up believing a better use of his efforts is to advocate for the best use of the land for both industries. The story centers on Jim's friend Cherokee Lansing, one-quarter Cherokee hence her name, she the daughter of a rancher. She initially wants retribution not only for the lost income from the oil industry, but for the death of her father a direct result of oil on the land. She however begins to believe a better focus for her efforts is to beat the oil men at their own game by finding and pumping as much oil as possible, which could jeopardize her burgeoning romantic relationship with Brad. —Huggo

During WW2, the U.S. Navy implements a new idea of forming construction battalions that also are fighting units, in case of Japanese attack. Construction workers in World War II in the Pacific are needed to build military sites, but the work is dangerous and they doubt the ability of the Navy to protect them. After a series of attacks by the Japanese, something new is tried, Construction Battalions (CBs=Seabees). The new CBs have to both build and be ready to fight. —John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>

Episodes in the adventurous life of the American novelist (1876-1916). Episodes in the novelist's life: In 1890, young Jack London quits a cannery job to try oyster piracy. Later, he signs on for a sealing voyage, tries Yukon prospecting and a brief university career, loving and leaving women along the way. Instead of riches, he gets story ideas. Suddenly, he finds success and a delectable lady; but the urge to adventure won't let him go. —Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

A governess becomes the center of a wealthy family after her employer's wife dies. In early 1905, French governess Emilie Gallatin (Ingrid Bergman) is hired to care of a luxurious family mansion and the four sons of wealthy Adam Stoddard (Warner Baxter) and his wife, Molly Stoddard (Fay Wray). Things couldn't be more perfect, until 1907, when first Molly dies, then the stock market crashes, wiping out the Stoddards' fortune, and Emilie is forced to return to France. The parting is difficult, for the teenage boys--Jack Stoddard (Billy Ray), David Stoddard (Steven Muller), Chris Stoddard (Wallace Chadwell), and Phillip Stoddard (Bobby Walberg)--had grown to depend on Emilie more after the loss of their mother, and Emilie had fallen in love with Adam. Seven years later, just before the beginning of World War I, the family's fortunes have improved, and Adam insists that Emilie return and stay on as part of the family--preserving her from the foreseeable fates of war. The four boys, all adults by now--Jack (Richard Denning), David ('Johnny Downs (I)'), Chris Stoddard (Robert Shaw), and Phillip Stoddard ('Charles Lind')--all serve in the military. Meanwhile, second son David brings home his carefree, gold-digging wife Hester (Susan Hayward), who moves into the family home while David is away at war. She degrades Emilies, cons Adam into believing that she is a sweet young thing, and attempts to seduce her brother-in-law Jack, who will have nothing to do with her. One night, the father sees a silhouette of the supposed lovers, but before he can identify them, Emilie enters the room from another door and pretends that she was the one with Jack. This cover-up strains Emilie's relationships with the boys and Adam and makes her an easy target for that guttersnipe Hester. The internecine war between the governess and Hester culminates in an out-and-out brawl. Adam unwittingly sides with Hester, who showers crocodile tears on his shoulder (a telling close-up reveals her wicked smile over his shoulder) while he comforts her. Hester's malicious personality is revealed to Adam's visiting cousin Phillippa (Helen Westley), and Hester is exposed as an uncontrollable vixen. —Artemis-9 Emilie has been hired to care for the four sons of wealthy Adam Stoddard and his wife Molly. After Molly dies, Adam and the boys grow to depend on Emilie even more. At the same time, Emilie falls in love with Adam. The boys grow up, but Adam insists that Emilie stay on as part of the family. Her relationships with both the boys and Adam become strained after one son marries gold-digging viper Hester. —Daniel Bubbeo <dbubbeo@cmp.com>