Sierra Baron is a 1958 American WesternCinemaScope color film directed by James B. Clark and starring Brian Keith, Rick Jason and Rita Gam, from the novel by Thomas W. Blackburn.
In 1848, a rancher, Miguel Delmonte tries to protect his Princessa Spanish land grant, from American landgrabbers after his father is killed. Real estate agent Rufus Bynum, hires a Texas gunfighter Jack McCracken to kill the man. The gunfighter ends up falling in love with the rancher's sister Felicia.[1][2]
The novel was published in 1955. The New York Times called it a "grade A novel".[3] In May 1956 the novel was optioned by the sons of Spyros Skouras, Plato and Spyros Jnr, who had formed a production company, Artys Co, with their cousin Charles Spyros Jnr, son of Charles Skouras. André de Toth and John Hawkins wrote a script with De Toth intending to direct; the Skouras brothers wanted Gregory Peck and Jack Palance to star.[4][5]
Eventually rights shifted to Regal Films Inc and the film was made as part of Regal's ten films in three months. De Toth did not direct.[6]
