The Dalton Girls

The Dalton Girls

Year: 1957

Runtime: 77 mins

Language: English

Director: Reginald Le Borg

WesternDramaCrimeRomanceAction

THE MADE MEN CRAWL BEFORE THEIR GUNS BY DAY…AND SNARED THEM IN THEIR LOVE TRAPS AT NIGHT! Female relatives of the infamous Dalton gang carry on the family tradition.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen The Dalton Girls yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – The Dalton Girls (1957)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Dalton Girls (1957). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 19th century

The events unfold in the late 19th-century American West, a time of caravans, gold camps, and burgeoning towns. After a prologue of pursuit and violence, six years pass to bring the sisters into new heists across Eastern Colorado and distant towns. The era is defined by lawmen, outlaws, and the rough line between order and vigilante justice.

Location

Eastern Colorado, Dry Creek, Tombstone

The story moves from a dusty Eastern Colorado town to a remote Dry Creek gold camp, and finally to Tombstone’s rowdy frontier streets. The setting is quintessentially American West: arid plains, wooden shacks, and the constant movement of stagecoaches and banks. The landscapes provide a backdrop for outlaw schemes, frontier justice, and the sisters’ double lives.

🏜️ Frontier towns 🗺️ Western frontier ⏳ 19th century

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:29

Main Characters – The Dalton Girls (1957)

Meet the key characters of The Dalton Girls (1957), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Holly Dalton (Merry Anders)

A fearless, hot-tempered sister who leads with audacity and fierce loyalty. She does not hesitate to enforce her own form of justice, including killing Slidell to protect her kin. Her boldness and willingness to take risks anchor the Dalton gang’s most dangerous schemes.

🔥 Fiery 🗡️ Violent 🛡️ Loyal

Rose Dalton (Lisa Davis)

A decisive and forceful presence who acts quickly in combat, often driving the group’s most violent acts. She shoots to protect her sisters during the stagecoach heist and later during the bank escape. Her relentless nature tests the boundaries of family loyalty and justice.

⚔️ Aggressive 🎯 Resolute 👊 Determined

Columbine Dalton (Penny Edwards)

The schemer who plays a key role in orchestrating robberies and manipulating allies, including Grey. She maintains a cool demeanor, uses charm strategically, and ultimately reveals that she knows Grey’s true interest. Her plans revolve around wealth and the sisters’ continued liberty.

🎭 Calculating 💋 Charismatic 🧠 Cunning

Marigold Dalton (Sue George)

The peacemaker of the group, often pleading for restraint and harmony among the sisters. She offers a moral counterpoint to fights and violence, and her death in Tombstone marks a turning point for the remaining sisters. Her desire for peace clashes with the others’ brutal routines.

🌸 Peaceful 🤝 Peacemaker 💫 Compassionate

Illinois Grey (John Russell)

A smooth-talking gambler who becomes entangled with the sisters, sometimes helping them and other times acting out of self-preservation. He withholds information as a potential witness, complicating the law’s pursuit. His relationship with Columbine adds a layer of romantic tension to the crime plot.

🧭 Ambiguous 🎲 Gambler 🕵️‍♂️ Distrustful

Detective Hiram Parsh (Ed Hinton)

A private agency detective determined to capture the Dalton sisters, tracking them across towns with patient, persistent resolve. He is more deliberate and professional than the posse, representing the manhunt side of frontier law. His pursuit culminates in Tombstone, where confrontation escalates the stakes.

🔎 Persistent 🕵️‍♂️ Calculating 🗯️ Watchful

Slidell, the Undertaker (Glenn Dixon)

The town undertaker who taunts Parsh and monetizes the viewing of the Dalton bodies. His relishing of the chase and his intimidation backfire when Holly ends the taunting with fatal force. He embodies the cruel edge of frontier commerce and showmanship.

💀 Menacing 🪦 Tauntful 🧰 Mercantile

Sewell, the Banker (Malcolm Atterbury)

A cautious banker whose reluctance to pay up becomes a target for the sisters. His encounter with Grey and Rose in the Dry Creek bank culminates in betrayal and violence. His fate underscores the high stakes of frontier finance and the sisters’ audacious schemes.

💼 Banker 💰 Cash-flow 🏦 Target

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:29

Major Themes – The Dalton Girls (1957)

Explore the central themes of The Dalton Girls (1957), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👭 Sisterhood

Four Dalton sisters form a tight, volatile alliance built on shared history and mutual protection. They navigate loyalty and rivalry, balancing affection with ruthless violence when necessary. The bond sustains them through elaborate robberies and personal peril, even as tensions threaten to tear the group apart.

⚖️ Frontier Justice

The film frames crime and punishment against a landscape where formal law often trails the outlaws. Parsh embodies the pursuit of accountability across towns, while the sisters practice a rough form of justice of their own making. The lines between lawmen, criminals, and vigilantes blur as events unfold.

🎭 Dual Lives

The sisters juggle secret identities with their day-to-day disguises and schemes. They move from stage theather and dance hall appearances to high-stakes robberies, complicating relationships with witnesses like Grey and the townspeople. The concealed motives and evolving loyalties drive tension and tragedy, culminating in a fatal confrontation.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:29

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Unlock the Full Story of The Dalton Girls

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Dalton Girls in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Dalton Girls is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Dalton Girls Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Dalton Girls, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Dalton Girls Summary

The Dalton Girls Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Dalton Girls with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Dalton Girls Timeline

More About The Dalton Girls

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Dalton Girls: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About The Dalton Girls

Similar Movies to The Dalton Girls

Discover movies like The Dalton Girls that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.