Dark Command (1940)

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  • DARK COMMAND


    DIRECTED BY RAOUL WALSH
    PRODUCED BY SOL C. SIEGAL
    REPUBLIC PICTURES

    Photo with the courtesy of lasbugas

    For continuity, discussion, please post here:-
    Dark Command (1940)


    Information from IMDb


    Plot Summary
    Texas cowpoke Bob Seton (John Wayne) comes to a Kansas town with his friend,
    Doc Crunch (George 'Gabby' Hayes),
    and runs for town marshal against school teacher Will Cantrell (Walter Pidgeon.)
    Seton is elected but loses out to Cantrell for the hand of Mary McCloud (Claire Trevor.)
    When the Civil War breaks out, Cantrell organizes a raider band,
    supposedly on the side of the South, but which, in reality,
    is nothing but a guerilla army that loots and robs from both sides.
    Cantrell has dreams of carving out his own empire out of Kansas.
    Cantrell leads his guerillas on a raid against Lawrence, Kansas,
    where they are defeated and Cantrell is killed.
    His widow finds happiness with Seton, the man she truly loves.
    Summary written by Les Adams


    Full Cast
    Claire Trevor .... Miss Mary McCloud
    John Wayne .... Bob Seton
    Walter Pidgeon .... William 'Will' Cantrell
    Roy Rogers .... Fletcher 'Fletch' McCloud
    George 'Gabby' Hayes .... Andrew 'Doc' Grunch (as George Hayes)
    Porter Hall .... Angus McCloud
    Marjorie Main .... Mrs. Cantrell, aka Mrs. Adams
    Raymond Walburn .... Judge Buckner
    Joe Sawyer .... Bushropp (guerrilla) (as Joseph Sawyer)
    Helen MacKellar .... Mrs. Hale
    J. Farrell MacDonald .... Dave (gunrunner)
    Trevor Bardette .... Mr. Hale (shot by Fletch)
    Ernie Adams .... Townsman (uncredited)
    Richard Alexander .... Phil (guerrilla guarding Seton) (uncredited)
    Earl Askam .... Guerrilla (uncredited)
    Hank Bell .... Townsman (uncredited)
    Ray Bennett .... Guerrilla (uncredited)
    Stanley Blystone .... Tough (uncredited)
    Al Bridge .... Slave trader (uncredited)
    Roy Bucko .... Brawler (uncredited)
    Budd Buster .... Townsman (uncredited)
    Yakima Canutt .... Townsman on balcony (uncredited)
    Horace B. Carpenter .... Townsman (uncredited)
    Noble 'Kid' Chissel .... Guerrilla (uncredited)
    Edmund Cobb .... Juror #3 (uncredited)
    Tex Cooper .... Townsman (uncredited)
    Harry Cording .... Angry townsman in bank (uncredited)
    John Dilson .... Town leader (uncredited)
    Edward Earle .... Town leader (uncredited)
    Betty Farrington .... Townswoman (uncredited)
    Joseph Forte .... Townsman (uncredited)
    Mildred Gover .... Ellie (Mary's maid) (uncredited)
    Frank Hagney .... Tough Yankee #2 (uncredited)
    Al Haskell .... Townsman (uncredited)
    Edward Hearn .... Jury foreman (uncredited)
    Howard C. Hickman .... Southerner orating for votes (uncredited)
    Lloyd Ingraham .... Townsman (uncredited)
    Jack Kirk .... Cowhand (uncredited)
    Ethan Laidlaw .... Guerrilla (uncredited)
    Tom London .... Messenger (uncredited)
    Jack Lowe .... Juror #2 (uncredited)
    Nelson McDowell .... Farmer (uncredited)
    Joe McGuinn .... Guerrilla (uncredited)
    John Merton .... Cantrell man (uncredited)
    Jack Montgomery .... Guerrilla (uncredited)
    Dick Rich .... Dental patient #1 (uncredited)
    Jack Rockwell .... Assassin of Angus McCloud (uncredited)
    Clinton Rosemond .... Tom (McClouds' servant) (uncredited)
    Bob Sáenz .... Guerrilla (uncredited)
    Tom Smith .... Posse rider (uncredited)
    Glenn Strange .... Tough Yankee #1 (uncredited)
    Harry Strang .... Man about to withdraw his money from bank (uncredited)
    Al Taylor .... Guerrilla (uncredited)
    Ferris Taylor .... Banker (uncredited)
    Ethel Wales .... Townswoman (uncredited)
    Wally Wales .... Angry townsman in bank (uncredited)
    Cecil Weston .... Townswoman (uncredited)
    Henry Wills .... Guerrilla (uncredited)
    Harry Woods .... Man in fight with Seton (uncredited)
    Bob Woodward ... Yankee (uncredited)


    Writing Credits
    W.R. Burnett novel The Dark Command
    Jan Fortune adaptation
    F. Hugh Herbert screenplay
    Lionel Houser screenplay
    Grover Jones screenplay


    Original Music
    Victor Young


    Cinematography
    Jack A. Marta


    Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
    Joseph Kane .... second unit director
    Yakima Canutt .... second unit director (uncredited)
    Kenneth Holmes .... assistant director (uncredited)
    Cliff Lyons .... second unit director (uncredited)


    Stunts
    Yakima Canutt .... stunt coordinator (uncredited)
    Cliff Lyons .... stunts (uncredited)
    Jack Montgomery .... stunt double (uncredited)
    Henry Wills .... stunts (uncredited)
    Bill Yrigoyen .... stunts (uncredited)
    Joe Yrigoyen .... stunts (uncredited)


    Trivia
    The character of Will Cantrell is loosely based on the real life
    Confederate guerrilla leader William Quantrill.
    Like Cantrell, Quantrill was born in Ohio, taught school in
    Lawrence, Kansas, became a guerrilla fighter on the Confederate side
    and burnt Lawrence to the ground. However, the Confederacy eventually
    distanced itself from, and eventually disowned, him because of his band's
    propensity for executing prisoners, massacring civilians, looting and raping.
    The real Quantrill was killed in an ambush, beheaded by a Union
    cavalryman's saber, in Kentucky at the ripe old age of 27 instead
    of at the hands of Bob Seton.


    Memorable Quotes


    Filming Locations
    Placerita Ranch, Newhall, California, USA
    Sherwood Forest, California, USA


    For continuity, discussion, please post here:-
    Dark Command (1940)

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 8 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • Dark Command is a 1940 Western film starring Claire Trevor, John Wayne and
    Walter Pidgeon loosely based on Quantrill's Raiders during the American Civil War.
    Directed by Raoul Walsh from the novel by W.R. Burnett,
    Dark Command is the only film in which western icons John Wayne and Roy Rogers
    appear together, and was the only movie Wayne and Raoul Walsh
    made together since Walsh discovered Wayne working as a prop mover, renamed him,
    and gave him his first leading role in the widescreen western The Big Trail a decade before.


    The film also features George "Gabby" Hayes as Wayne's character's sidekick.


    The movie was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Original Score
    and Best Art Direction by John Victor Mackay


    I like this film, and feel I have a personal interest,
    as I had the pleasure of meeting, and spending time with Roy Rogers,
    when he toured the UK, back in the 50's!
    Republic paired the stars of Stagecoach, and Allegheny Uprising
    again in this film ,billing Claire Trevor above Duke.
    The picture was the studios, most expensive to date,, and it also united Duke
    with Raoul Walsh,for the first time since The Big Trail
    They also borrowed Walter Pidgeon from MGM, for additional prestige, and with a fine supporting cast,
    including Roy Rogers, in a rare,dramatic role, Marjorie Main (I always thought, she was spooky)
    and the dependable, Gabby Hayes.
    Duke gave a wonderful performance,and

    Quote

    Bosley Crowther the critic said,
    The most pleasant surprise of the picture,is the solid performance of John Wayne, as the Marshal...
    Given a character to build, he does it with vigour, cool confidence, and casual wit.


    The film was far better received than Allegheny Uprising ,
    and it more than fulfilled it's box office potential, becoming the studios biggest moneymaker, that year.
    Producers and directors at the major studios began to give Duke, a second look,, including Cecil B. DeMille.
    DeMille previously, had kept Duke waiting for an appointment,
    after this film, he sent for him.

    Bosley Crowther commented,

    Quote

    The most rousing, and colorful horse opera, that has gone thundering past this way, since, Stagecoach


    All in all, a suprisingly, very good film


    User Review

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 5 times, last by ethanedwards ().