To the Last Man (1933)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Zane Grey (story)
Jack Cunningham (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 September 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

Two families at war . . . to the last man!

Plot:

In Kentucky just after the Civil War, the Hayden-Colby feud leads to Jed Colby being sent to prison for 15 years for murder. The Haydens head for Nevada and when Colby gets out of prison he heads there also seeking revenge. The head of the Hayden family tries to avoid more killing but the inevitable showdown has to occur, complicated by Lynn Hayden and Ellen Colby's plans to marry.

Plot Keywords:

Feud | Showdown | Zane Grey | Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Cast

Randolph Scott	...	Lynn Hayden
Esther Ralston	...	Ellen Colby
Jack La Rue	...	Jim Daggs
Buster Crabbe	...	Bill Hayden
Barton MacLane	...	Neil Stanley
Noah Beery	...	Jed Colby
Gail Patrick	...	Ann Hayden Stanley
Egon Brecher	...	Mark Hayden
Muriel Kirkland	...	Molly Hayden
Fuzzy Knight	...	Jeff Morley
James Eagles	...	Eli Bruce (as James C. Eagles)
Eugenie Besserer	...	Granny Spelvin
Harlan Knight	...	Grandpa Chet Spelvin
Jay Ward	...	Lynn Hayden - as child

Also Known As:

Law of Vengeance (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

During a scene that called for Shirley Temple to hold a tea party in a barn, a mule in the barn began eating the sugar cubes on the table. Director Henry Hathaway recalled, "Shirley was irritated and tried to shoo him away. Then this mule got irritated. He turned around, and with his two back legs he hauled off at her with a kick. Shirley ducked and he missed, but instead of stopping or running away, she strode over and kicked the mule back."

Quotes:

[Lynn has rescued Ellen from Daggs's unwanted attentions]
Ellen Colby: Thanks, stranger.
Lynn Hayden: Glad I happened by.
Ellen Colby: Wouldn't have made much difference. I never seen the man I couldn't handle. Better put that hat on, 'fore the sun hits you any worse.
Lynn Hayden: Thanks, lady.
Ellen Colby: [taken aback] Lady!
Ellen Colby: [seeing Lynn eyeing her approvingly] What are you starin' at?
Lynn Hayden: A lady.

Movie Connections:

Version of To the Last Man (1923)

very enjoyable western with Randolph Scott ans Buster Crabbe

this western,not to be confused with the Gunsmoke TV movie of the same name,is quite enjoyable,it's fast paced,lots of action and excitement.the story is basically two families are carrying on a longstanding feud with each other,and killing members of the opposite clan.Randolph Scott stars as does Buster Crabbe,and i'm also fairly certain a very young Shirley Temple appears,though i don't recall her name in the credits.she must have been about 5 years old or so at the time.Jack Cunningham wrote the screenplay from the novel by Zane Grey.Henry Hathaway directed.he also directed Rawhide(1951)The Garden of Evil(1954)and he was also one of four directors(each director having their own segments)to direct the big budget opus How the West was Won(1962).the other directors were John Ford,George Marshall,and Richard Thorpe,who was uncredited.as for to last Man AKA Law of Vengeance, i would definitely watch it again.my vote: 7/10