Yellow Sky is a 1948 Western film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Gregory Peck, Anne Baxter, and Richard Widmark. The film was based on W.R. Burnett's novel "The Forty-Niners" and is considered one of the last great Westerns of Hollywood's classic era.
The story takes place in 1867 and revolves around a gang of six outlaws who rob a bank in a town called Bancroft, killing two men. After their escape, the gang gets lost in the desert and is almost out of water. They come across a seemingly abandoned town called Yellow Sky and decide to take refuge there.
The only inhabitants of Yellow Sky are an old man named "Grandpa" and his granddaughter, called Mike. When the outlaws arrive, Mike is instantly hostile towards them, but Grandpa takes a liking to them and invites them to stay.
As the days pass, tensions between the outlaws and Mike rise. They discover that there is a gold mine nearby and start to plan a robbery, but Mike overhears their plan. Meanwhile, one of the outlaws, Stretch, begins to fall in love with Mike.
The film's climax sees the outlaws attempt to rob the gold mine, but they are ambushed by a group of men from Bancroft who are seeking revenge for the murders committed during the bank robbery. A shootout ensues, and Mike helps the outlaws escape. In the end, Stretch is shot and killed, and Mike decides to leave Yellow Sky with the remaining outlaws, hoping to start a new life with them.
Yellow Sky is known for its stunning visuals and powerful performances. Gregory Peck's portrayal of Stretch is particularly memorable, adding depth and complexity to the film's tragic hero. The film was a critical and commercial success upon its release and remains a classic of the Western genre.