The Baron of Arizona (1950)

In the intriguing world of The Baron of Arizona, master of deception James Reavis embarks on a meticulously crafted, years-long scheme to lay claim to the entirety of Arizona. His elaborate plot begins with a young girl, an apparent orphan, whom he grooms into the elegance of Spanish nobility, inventing a lineage traced back to a legendary Spanish nobleman. His cunning plans extend to a three-year stint in a Spanish monastery, where he exploits its vast biblioteca, the vault of treasured land grant records. In his insatiable quest for authenticity, Reavis even allies with a band of gypsies to gain entry into a Spanish nobleman's library, subtly altering duplicate documents to strengthen his counterfeit claim. The pièce de résistance of his grand charade is his marriage to the now matured young woman, positioning himself as her husband, the self-proclaimed Baron of Arizona. This tale of audacious deceit and audacious ambition is a testament to the lengths one man will go to forge his own destiny.

The Baron of Arizona is a drama movie featuring Vincent Price and directed by Samuel Fuller.

The Baron of Arizona is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.