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The Painted Desert (1931)

79 min  -  Western  -   7 March 1931 (USA)
5.5
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Ratings: 5.5/10 from 290 users  
Reviews: 14 user | 4 critic

Western pardners Jeff and Cash find a baby boy in an otherwise deserted emigrants' camp, and clash... See full summary »

Director:

Howard Higgin

Writers:

Tom Buckingham (story), Howard Higgin (story)
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The Painted Desert -- Western pardners Jeff and Cash find a baby boy in an otherwise deserted emigrants' camp, and clash over which is to be "father." They are still bitterly feuding years later when they own adjacent ranches... The Painted Desert -- Western pardners Jeff and Cash find a baby boy in an otherwise deserted emigrants' camp, and clash over which is to be "father." They are still bitterly feuding years later when they own adjacent ranches...
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
William Boyd ...
Bill Holbrook (as Bill Boyd)
Helen Twelvetrees Helen Twelvetrees ...
Mary Ellen Cameron
William Farnum William Farnum ...
Cash Holbrook
J. Farrell MacDonald J. Farrell MacDonald ...
Jeff Cameron
Clark Gable ...
Rance Brett
Charles Sellon Charles Sellon ...
Tonopah
Hugh Adams Hugh Adams ...
'Dynamite'
Wade Boteler Wade Boteler ...
Bob Carson
Will Walling Will Walling ...
Kirby
Edmund Breese Edmund Breese ...
Judge Matthews
Edward Hearn Edward Hearn ...
Tex (as Guy Edward Hearn)
William Le Maire William Le Maire ...
Denver (as William LeMaire)
Richard Cramer Richard Cramer ...
Provney
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Storyline

Western pardners Jeff and Cash find a baby boy in an otherwise deserted emigrants' camp, and clash over which is to be "father." They are still bitterly feuding years later when they own adjacent ranches. Bill, the foundling whom Cash has raised to young manhood, wants to end the feud and extends an olive branch toward Jeff, who now has a lovely daughter. But during a mining venture, the bitterness escalates. Is Bill to be set against his own adoptive father? Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Mining | Baby | Foundling | Feud | Foster Parent  | See more »

Genres:

Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Feindschaft See more »

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Exchange See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

 | USA: (copyright length)  | (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

William Boyd and Clark Gable, during the making of the film (11 October 1930), narrowly escaped serious injury from falling rock after two tons of explosives went off with considerably more force than planned in Dinosaur Canyon, some 70 miles northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona. While Boyd and Gable were 200 feet from the blast, rocks and boulders rained down between where they were standing. Not so lucky were a number of technicians, some 15 of whom were taken to hospitals in Flagstaff and Tuba City, and director Howard Higgin, who suffered a broken ankle and various cuts. The female lead, Helen Twelvetrees, had already returned to Los Angeles, as most of the principal photography was completed. Dynamite and black powder had been placed in the face of a 400-foot cliff and in an old mine tunnel, the explosion being expected to crumble the cliff. Unexpected presence of hard rock lent the blast violence that had not been anticipated, and showered rock and stone over an area of nearly half a mile. See more »

Quotes

Bill Holbrook: Mary Ellen, look out there across the desert. As far as you can see, way off there in the distance... you see those big lonesome pinnacles? When I was a little boy, I used to lie out there evenings, watching the shadows pass over 'em. I used to imagine they were all sorts of things... dragons fighting... giants lying there sleeping... and great big monsters that might come down after it got dark and get me.
Mary Ellen Cameron: [giggle] I know. I used to think that way, too.
Bill Holbrook: You got over it, though.
Mary Ellen Cameron: Over it? Sure! As soon as I knew what they really was - just big rocks.
[...]
See more »

Connections

Version of Painted Desert (1938) See more »

Soundtracks

"Oh! Susanna"
(1848)
Written by Stephen Foster
In the score during the opening credits See more »