Great story that involves multiple costume changes (gypsy! monk! royalty!) for Vincent Price, giving this little B-movie just enough theatricality to compete with his later horror roles. Conventionally told story based in historical fact about a man who forges historical documents to substantiate his claim that he is heir to all of Arizona Territory. Price is just amazing as loathsome character who is completely obsessed with his crazy plan. He goes so far as to find an impoverished orphaned child, claim she is a descendant of the heir to the territory and then, creepily, marries her to seal his right to the land while her adoptive father shivers in disgust. Price hovers a head taller over everyone, bringing a kind of strange physicality into the performance. Ellen Drew, playing his virtuous wife, is a great counterpoint.I don't know what was more awesome: the tacky, giant map of Arizona in his office or how the pug-ugly local hicks were all outraged about Price's fraudulent land claims when obviously they were all recent arrivals who had just finagled land away from the Indians. What a great American story!
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