Lone Star

Lone Star is a 1952 American Western film starring Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Broderick Crawford, Ed Begley, and Lionel Barrymore (in his final role) as President Andrew Jackson. The film also marks the first (uncredited) screen appearance by then-13-year-old George Hamilton, playing beside Barrymore in the role of Jackson's servant. The movie is considered both a Western and a romance, set in Texas shortly before statehood. Plot Devereaux Burke (Clark Gable) gets a personal request from former President Andrew Jackson (Lionel Barrymore) to facilitate the annexation of Texas into the United States. Opposition to annexation is gaining favor because it is mistakenly believed that Texas pioneer Sam Houston (Moroni Olsen) opposes statehood. The opposition leader is wealthy rancher Thomas Craden (Broderick Crawford), but when Craden is ambushed by Comanches, Dev comes to his rescue. Dev and Craden travel to Austin, where they meet Martha Ronda (Ava Gardner), who runs the local newspaper. Craden does not know Dev supports annexation when he invites him to a dinner he planned that night for a number of senators at his home. When the senators will not all agree to vote against annexation, Craden refuses them permission to leave. Dev is allowed to leave, but soon returns with a group of armed men to rescue the senators and reveal his support for annexation.