The Light of Western Stars (1940)

INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Plot Summary
Easterner Madeline Hammond buys a ranch not knowing Hayworth is using it to smuggle ammunition across the border. When trouble starts, she brings back Gene Hammond, the ex-foreman who left the country after fighting with the Sheriff. Gene learns of Hayworth's scheme and forces him to blow up his supply. But the Sheriff, not getting his cut, has Hayworth killed and then arrives to arrest Gene for the murder.
Written by Maurice VanAuken

Cast
Victor Jory ... Gene Stewart
Jo Ann Sayers ... Madeline Majesty Hammond
Russell Hayden ... Al Hammond
Morris Ankrum ... Nat Hayworth
Noah Beery Jr. ... Poco
J. Farrell MacDonald ... Bill Stillwell
Ruth Rogers ... Flo Kingsley
Tom Tyler ... Sheriff Tom Hawes
Rad Robinson ... Monty
Eddie Dean ... Nels
Esther Estrella ... Bonita
Alan Ladd ... Danny
Georgia Ellis ... Helen (as Georgia Hawkins)
Earl Askam ... Deputy Sneed
Lucio Villegas ... Marco

Directed
Lesley Selander

Writing Credits
Zane Grey ... (novel)
Norman Houston ... (screenplay)

Produced
Joseph W. Engel ... associate producer (as Jos. W. Engel)
Harry Sherman ... producer

Music
Victor Young

Cinematography
Russell Harlan

Trivia
This film was shooting on location in Newhall, CA, and word was received on October 24, 1939, that author Zane Grey had died earlier that day. Shooting stopped at 3:00 pm in his honor.

Although this film retained its original title when it was re-released theatrically by Favorite Films in 1950, when it was sold to television, its title was changed to "Border Renegade", most likely to protect theatrical re-release showings which were still in progress in some territories. In Louisville it was first telecast Saturday 8 August 1953 on WHAS (Channel 11), in Detroit Friday 13 November 1953 on WXYZ (Channel 7), in New York City Sunday 9 May 1954 on WCBS (Channel 2), and in Los Angeles Sunday 21 November 1954 on KRCA (Channel 4). In San Francisco, it first hit the airwaves Monday 26 September 1955 on KPIX (Channel 5).

This is one of 20 Zane Grey stories, filmed by Paramount in the 1930s, which it sold to Favorite Films for re-release, circa 1950-52. The failure of Paramount, the original copyright holder, to renew the film's copyright resulted in it falling into public domain, meaning that virtually anyone could duplicate and sell a VHS/DVD copy of the film. Therefore, many of the versions of this film available on the market are either severely (and usually badly) edited and/or of extremely poor quality, having been duped from second- or third-generation (or more) copies of the film.

The 20 Zane Grey stories sold by Paramount to Favorite Films for theatrical re-release, and then to Unity Television Corp. for television broadcast, are as follows: The Light of Western Stars (1930) (aka "Winning the West"), Fighting Caravans (1931) (aka "Blazing Arrows"), Heritage of the Desert (1932) (aka "When the West Was Young"), "The Mysterious Rider (1933)_ (aka "The Fighting Phantom"), The Thundering Herd (1933) (aka "Buffalo Stampede"), Man of the Forest (1933) (aka "Challenge of the Frontier"), To the Last Man (1933) (aka "Law of Vengeance"), Wagon Wheels (1934) (aka "Caravans West"), Rocky Mountain Mystery (1935) (aka "The Fighting Westerner"), Drift Fence (1936) (aka "Texas Desperadoes"), _Desert Gold (1936)_ (aka "Desert Storm"), The Arizona Raiders (1936) (aka "Bad Men of Arizona"), Bad Man of Arizona (1936) (aka "Arizona Thunderbolt"), Forlorn River (1937) (aka "River of Destiny"), Thunder Pass (1937) (aka "Thunder Pass"), Born to the West (1937) (aka "Hell Town"), The Mysterious Rider (1938) (aka "Mark of the Avenger"), Heritage of the Desert (1939) (aka "Heritage of the Plains"), Knights of the Range (1940) (aka "Bad Men of Nevada"), _The Light of Western Stars" (aka "Border Renegade").

Goofs
Unknown

Filming Locations
Sasabe, Arizona, USA
Rancho De La Osa, Sasabe, Arizona, USA
Newhall, California, USA
General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (studio)
Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Watch the Movie

[extendedmedia]

The Light of Western Stars is a 1940 American film directed by
Lesley Selander and starring Victor Jory
The film is also known as Border Renegade (American alternative title).
The supporting cast features Morris Ankrum, Noah Beery, Jr., Tom Tyler and Alan Ladd
(in a tiny role as a ranch hand named "Danny").

User Review

This certainly didn't help Victor Jory become a star!
31 October 2014 | by planktonrules (Bradenton, Florida)

Quote from PLANK

In his career, Victor Jory generally played villains or supporting characters. Here, however, he stars in a western--and that is VERY unusual. Unfortunately for him and his career, the film just isn't very good and I doubt if it did a thing to help him as a star. But, at least you can watch it if you'd like to see Alan Ladd before he was 'discovered' or if you'd like to see Noah Beery Junior embarrass himself.

When the film begins, Jory plays a nice-guy who seems to be equally concerned with protecting the town from a bully and his paid sheriff as he is about getting drunk. He is certainly no hero in this role--though eventually he reforms and finally does the right thing. In the process, he meets a stuck up rich lady and has a few not particularly interesting adventures.

So why did I give this one a 3? Well, there are many reasons--and the biggest is that the film never really gets very interesting. There are also some poorly written plot elements (such as the stuck up lady who almost instantly changes and the film never allows any realistic development of her character). Additionally, Noah Beery Jr. plays a horrible role as a Mexican--and seems completely out of place. Finally, the big showdown fizzles and makes little sense. All in all, perhaps a 3 is being a bit generous.

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