Three Faces West (1940)

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  • THREE FACES WEST
    aka The Refugee


    DIRECTED BY BERNARD VORHAUS
    PROCUCED BY SOL C. SIEGAL
    MUSIC BY VICTOR YOUNG
    REPUBLIC PICTURES


    Photo with the courtesy of lasbugas


    INFORMATION FROM IMDb


    Plot Summary
    Viennese surgeon Dr. Braun and his daughter Leni come to a small town in
    North Dakota as refugees from Hitler.
    When the winds of the Dust Bowl threaten the town,
    John Phillips leads the townsfolk in moving to greener pastures in Oregon.
    He falls for Leni, but she is betrothed to the man who helped
    her and her father escape from the Third Reich.
    She must make a decision between the two men.
    Summary written by Jim Beaver


    Full Cast
    John Wayne .... John Phillips
    Sigrid Gurie .... Leni 'Lenchen' Braun
    Charles Coburn .... Dr. Karl Braun
    Spencer Charters .... Dr. 'Nunk' Atterbury
    Helen MacKellar .... Mrs. Welles
    Roland Varno .... Dr. Eric Von Scherer
    Sonny Bupp .... Billy Welles
    Wade Boteler .... Mr. Harris, Department of Agriculture Official
    Trevor Bardette .... Clem Higgins
    Russell Simpson .... Minister
    Charles Waldron .... Dr. William Thorpe
    Wendell Niles .... Man-on-the-Street Radio Announcer
    Frank Brownlee .... Bill, a Farmer (uncredited)
    Bob Burns .... Farmer (uncredited)
    Horace B. Carpenter .... White-Haired Farmer in Oregon (uncredited)
    Jim Corey .... Churchgoer (uncredited)
    Douglas Evans .... We the People Radio MC (uncredited)
    Mary Field .... Mrs. Stebbins (uncredited)
    Francis Ford .... Farmer Bill, with Higgins (uncredited)
    Byron Foulger .... Joe Stebbins, a Farmer (uncredited)
    Stuart Holmes .... Extra Farmer at Meeting (uncredited)
    Si Jenks .... Train Conductor (uncredited)
    Darwood Kaye .... Boy Patient sitting in chair (uncredited)
    Arthur Millett .... Farmer (uncredited)
    Jack Montgomery .... Joe, a Farmer (uncredited)
    Bill Nestell .... Farmer (uncredited)
    Manuel París .... Refugee Doctor (uncredited)
    Hank Patterson .... Pool Player (uncredited)
    Rose Plumer .... White Haired Farmer's Wife (uncredited)
    Victor Potel .... Postman (uncredited)
    Dewey Robinson .... Bartender (uncredited)
    John Sheehan .... Man Asking When Wedding Will Be (uncredited)
    Ted Stanhope .... Farmer (uncredited)
    Frederick Vogeding .... Herr Schmidt, Eric's Assistant (uncredited)
    Bill Wolfe .... Farmer Driving to Oregon (uncredited)
    Wolfgang Zilzer .... Dr. Rudolf Preussner (uncredited)


    Writing Credits
    F. Hugh Herbert (screenplay) &
    Joseph Moncure March (screenplay) &
    Samuel Ornitz (screenplay)
    Doris Anderson (screenplay)


    Original Music
    Victor Young (musical score)


    Cinematography
    John Alton


    Trivia
    Wendell Niles, the "man on the street" reporter after the big dust storm, was a real radio announcer. He worked on many shows of the golden-age of radio including "The Burns and Allen Show."


    Two of the movie's main characters are introduced via a radio program called "We The People." This was a real radio show that ran on the CBS blue network (originating on WABC, New York) from circa 1937 to circa 1949. The sponsor was Calumet Baking Powder. The show was created by Phillips Lord (of "Gangbusters" fame) to give "a half-hour to the people of this country so we can hear their experiences." The radio program shown in this movie is essentially the same as in real life--real people spoke at the microphone telling their own stories.


    Douglas Evans, shown as the master of ceremonies for the radio show "We The People," was a radio announcer in real life. He worked for KFI (Los Angeles) in the 1930s.


    Goofs
    Character error
    Doctor Braun's "Austrian" accent briefly reverts to a distinct Irish brogue at around 29 minutes.


    Continuity
    At c.6 minutes Dr Braun and his daughter suddenly switch seats on the train.


    Errors in geography
    The US Department Of Agriculture Soil Conservation Officer tells John Phillips (John Wayne) that the Government considers the soil in his small, North Dakota town "doomed". The Officer shows John the entire "doomed" area, which is highlighted on his map of the United States. The northern part of the highlighted area starts around the same latitude as Chicago. This areas is probably at least 400 miles south of the North Dakota's southern border.


    Revealing mistakes
    During the final scenes of the North Dakota town (c.55 minutes) there are taller, modern buildings in the background.


    Memorable Quote


    Filming Location
    Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California,

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 9 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • Three Faces West is a 1940 American drama film starring
    John Wayne, Sigrid Gurie and Charles Coburn.


    I really like this film, and find it very interesting.
    OK, it may not be a true factual story about the dust bowl,
    but it sure, shows the how brutal it was.


    Duke acted his part well, and looked credible, in his task.
    It had a superior script, and included such distinguished actors,
    as Charles Coburn, and Norwegian Sigrid Curie.


    The chemistry between Duke and Sigrid, was obvious,
    mainly because, Sigrid was a sultry, aggressive woman,
    whom Duke found irresistible.and the two enjoyed a brief flirtation.


    The film suffered as a result of being released after,
    The Grapes Of Wrath and was therefore classed,
    a cheap imitation


    User Review

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 4 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • We watched this fairly recently, and enjoyed it.


    The depiction of the Dust Bowl conditions was quite graphic. It makes you realize how much suffering people went through at that time.


    The character development of Leni was interesting to watch, from wanting to leave, to falling for John Wayne's character, to dealing with her feeling of obligation towards the man who had helped to escape from Nazi Germany, to her reaction to learning that he was a serious Nazi.


    Of course I think the best thing that happened to these folks was that they moved to Oregon :D .


    Chester :newyear:

  • Hi all,
    This movie is also included as a part of big UK JW Collection. I enjoyed it very much. Even if I don't belive in a possibility of such desertion of the whole city.
    Regards,
    Vera

  • I only now realised this was released just after Grapes of wrath. It is like a poor man's version of the same topics, but pretty good as such. Perhaps not exactly a history lesson, but the Austrians and the nazi character combined with dust bowl farmer story make it interesting

    I don't believe in surrenders.

  • Super little movie which is well worth getting. John Wayne is particularly good. It is paced well with good support from Sigrid Gurie and Charles Coburn. I see Francis Ford is in there somewhere I must try and spot him next time round.


    Play.com were doing a 2 film deal with Shepherd of The Hills at £3.99 so check it out.


    Mike

  • Thank you Jim, im now looking forward to placing a new order with them and will all be John Wayne movies this time.

    Best regards--C.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • liked this one a lot, makes you feel for the farmers in the dustbowl

    Greetings from North of the 49th

  • I watched this movie today , and thought it had a good storyline. I had never heard of, or watched Sigrid Gurie before in a movie, apparently she was known as " The Siren of the fjords !!?? " hmm ......

    Good support from Charles Coburn , I last watched him and the Duke in Trouble Along The Way, obviously not watching the Duke's Filmography in chronological order !!! Thought the Duke had an interesting and compelling part, as the leader firstly trying to save the farmers and their lands and secondly the love story between himself and " Leni ", a good example of just what a fine actor he was.....