DAKOTA
PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY JOSEPH KANE
MUSIC BY WALTER SCHARF
REPUBLIC PICTURES
Photo with the courtesy of lasbugas
INFORMATION FROM IMDb
Plot Summary
In 1871, professional gambler John Devlin (John Wayne) elopes with Sandra "Sandy" Poli (Vera Ralston), daughter of Marko Poli (Hugo Haas), an immigrant who has risen to railroad tycoon. Sandy, knowing that the railroad is to be extended into Dakota, plans to use their $20,000 nest egg to buy land options to sell to the railroad at a profit. On the stage trip to Ft. Abercrombie, their fellow passengers are Jim Bender (Ward Bond) and Bigtree Collins (Mike Mazurki), who practically own the town of Fargo and Devlin is aware that they are prepared to protect the little empire...trying to drive out the farmers by burning their property, destroying their wheat, and blaming the devastation on the Indians. Continuing their journey north on the river aboard the "River Bird', Sandy and John meet Captain Bounce (Walter Brennan), an irascible old seafarer. Two of Bendender's henchmen, Slagin (Grant Withers) and Carp (Paul Fix), board the boat and relieve John of his $20,000 at gunpoint. Captain Bounce, chasing the robber's dinghy, wrecks his boat on a sandbar. At Fargo, the land wars begin and John teams with the wheat farmers against the Bender gang. Several attempts are made on his life and Collins tries to frame him for murder.
Summary written by Les Adams
Full Cast
John Wayne .... John Devlin
Vera Ralston .... Sandy Poli (Devlin) (as Vera Hruba Ralston)
Walter Brennan .... Capt. Bounce of the Riverbird
Ward Bond .... Jim Bender
Mike Mazurki .... Bigtree Collins
Ona Munson .... Jersey Thomas
Olive Blakeney .... Mrs. Stowe
Hugo Haas .... Marko Poli
Nick Stewart .... Nicodemus (Capt. Bounce's Bosun) (as Nicodemus Stewart)
Paul Fix .... Carp
Grant Withers .... Slagin
Robert Livingston .... Lieutenant
Olin Howland .... Devlin's driver (as Olin Howlin)
Pierre Watkin .... Wexton Geary (Marko Poli's representative)
Robert Barrat .... Anson Stowe (as Robert H. Barrat)
Jonathan Hale .... Col. Wordin
Robert Blake .... Little boy (as Bobby Blake)
Paul Hurst .... Capt. Spotts
Eddy Waller .... Stagecoach driver
Sarah Padden .... Mrs. Plummer
Jack La Rue .... Suede
George Cleveland .... Mr. Plummer
Selmer Jackson .... Dr. Judson
Claire Du Brey .... Wahtonka
Roy Barcroft .... Poli's driver
Melva Anstead .... Dancer (uncredited)
Eugene Borden .... Italian (uncredited)
Bob Burns .... Farmer (uncredited)
Paul E. Burns .... Farmer at meeting (uncredited)
Lucille Byron .... Dancer (uncredited)
Martha Carroll .... Entertainer (uncredited)
Noble 'Kid' Chissel .... Henchman (uncredited)
Dorothy Christy .... Nora (the cook) (uncredited)
Peter Cusanelli .... Italian (uncredited)
Kenne Duncan .... Henchman (uncredited)
Geraldine Farnum .... Dancer (uncredited)
Cay Forrester .... Entertainer (uncredited)
Frances Gladwin .... Dancer (uncredited)
Fred Graham .... Bouncer (uncredited)
Lorna Gray .... Entertainer (uncredited)
William Haade .... Roughneck in saloon (uncredited)
Harriette Haddon .... Dancer (uncredited)
Rosemonde James .... Dancer (uncredited)
Russ Kaplan .... Bouncer (uncredited)
Marian Kerrigan .... Dancer (uncredited)
Rex Lease .... Railroad conductor (uncredited)
Tom London .... Old-timer (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons .... Bouncer (uncredited)
LeRoy Mason .... Gambler (uncredited)
Art Miles .... Ciano (uncredited)
Al Murphy .... Trainman (uncredited)
Jack O'Shea .... Bartender (uncredited)
Beverly Reedy .... Dancer (uncredited)
Jack Roper .... Bouncer (uncredited)
Hector Sarno .... Italian farmer (uncredited)
Betty Shaw .... Entertainer (uncredited)
Tom Smith .... Gambler (uncredited)
Dorothy Stevens .... Dancer (uncredited)
Houseley Stevenson .... Railroad clerk (uncredited)
Linda Stirling .... Entertainer (uncredited)
Larry Thompson .... Poli's footman (uncredited)
Victor Varconi .... Frenchman (uncredited)
Michael Visaroff .... Russian (uncredited)
Virginia Wave .... Entertainer (uncredited)
Dick Wessel .... Roughneck in saloon (uncredited)
Writing Credits
Howard Estabrook adaptation
Carl Foreman story
Lawrence Hazard screenplay
Original Music
Walter Scharf (uncredited)
Cinematography
Jack A. Marta
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yakima Canutt .... second unit director
Allen K. Wood .... assistant director (uncredited)
Stunts
Yakima Canutt .... stunt double (uncredited)
Bobbie Dorree .... stunt double (uncredited)
Fred Graham .... stunt double (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons .... stunt double (uncredited)
Other crew
Larry Ceballos .... choreographer
Walter Scharf .... musical director
Andrew V. McLaglen .... production assistant (uncredited)
Andrew Sterling .... songs (uncredited)
Goof
* Continuity: When Devlin is tossed out of Poli's house, he tumbles down the steps with his head toward the right of the porch. But on the cut to the close-up, he completes the fall with his head toward the left, a complete mismatch from the previous shot.
Filming Locations
CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA