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Drama western

Broken Lance (1954): Cast & Plot

Broken Lance (1954) movie poster

Broken Lance is a 1954 drama western directed by Edward Dmytryk, starring Spencer Tracy as Matt Devereaux, Hugh O'Brian and Earl Holliman. It runs 1 hour 36 minutes.

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Broken Lance (1954) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 36m (96 min)
Director
Edward Dmytryk
Genres
Western , Drama , Adventure
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Broken Lance About?

The premise of Broken Lance without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In the violent West, cattle baron Matt Devereaux attacks a copper smelter polluting his water and then parcels out his land among his sons. Joe, who takes the blame for the raid, serves three years in prison. After Matt suffers a stroke—exacerbated by his wayward sons—and dies, Joe is released and plots revenge.

Broken Lance Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • half brother half brother relationship
  • remake
  • dysfunctional family
  • father son conflict
  • interracial relationship
  • father son relationship
  • cattle ranch
  • death of father
  • flashback
  • racial slur
  • jumping into water
  • feud
+38 more
  • self sacrifice
  • reference to chief joseph
  • mixed race brother
  • comanchero
  • sibling rivalry
  • mixed race indian
  • dispute
  • buy out offer
  • court trial
  • family ranch
  • death of family patriarch
  • indian lance
  • man woman romance
  • cattle rancher
  • uncle niece relationship
  • drinking polluted water
  • racism
  • irish man
  • state governor
  • kiss
  • family betrayal
  • stroke
  • attempted murder
  • fistfight
  • romantic reunion
  • falling into water
  • horse and carriage
  • horse
  • 1880s
  • cattle rustler
  • graveside ceremony
  • classical western
  • dmytryk and tracy
  • dmytryk and wagner
  • tracy and wagner
  • tracy and widmark
  • arizona
  • arizona territory
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Cast & crew

Broken Lance Cast & Characters

Spencer Tracy leads the cast as Matt Devereaux, with Hugh O'Brian as Mike Devereaux and Earl Holliman as Denny Devereaux. Directed by Edward Dmytryk; 68 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Broken Lance

· 64 more
Show all 68 cast members
Plot

Broken Lance Plot Summary

What happens in Broken Lance from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Matt Devereaux is a powerhouse rancher who has built an enormous empire around cattle and mining, and he rules his domain with a fierce, unyielding work ethic that comes from a hard‑fought, Irish‑settler heritage. He raises his four sons to carry that same relentless drive, but his insistence on total control leaves a chilly, fatherly warmth in short supply. The eldest three—Ben, Mike, and Denny—grow up under his command, managing the day‑to‑day operations of the vast operation while he maintains final say on every move, down to the smallest decision. That iron grip sows quiet resentment in them, and the family rift grows with each passing year.

Full summary

The whole story of Broken Lance, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Broken Lance Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Broken Lance.

Broken Lance - Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Broken Lance?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the patriarch of the Devereaux family?

Seen Broken Lance?

FAQ

Broken Lance FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Broken Lance, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Broken Lance?

Broken Lance runs 1 hour 36 minutes (96 minutes).

When was Broken Lance released?

Broken Lance was released on September 25, 1954.

Who directed Broken Lance?

Broken Lance was directed by Edward Dmytryk.

More films by Edward Dmytryk

Who is in the cast of Broken Lance?

Broken Lance stars Spencer Tracy as Matt Devereaux, Hugh O'Brian as Mike Devereaux and Earl Holliman as Denny Devereaux, among 68 credited actors.

Does Broken Lance have a post-credit scene?

No. Broken Lance has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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