Dark Command (1940)

ethanedwards · 2006-01-30T18:29:27-05:00

DARK COMMAND DIRECTED BY RAOUL WALSH PRODUCED BY SOL C. SIEGAL REPUBLIC PICTURES Photo with the courtesy of lasbugas 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 [URL:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032383/quotes] Filming Locations Placerita Ranch, Newhall, California, USA Sherwood Forest, California, USA