Dodge City (1939)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writer:

Robert Buckner (original screenplay)

Release Date:

8 April 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Western

Tagline:

It's Errol Flynn In His Greatest Role . . . A picture for every red-blooded son and daughter of the stars and stripes !

Plot:

Dodge City. A wide-open cattle town run by Jeff Surrett. Even going on a children's Sunday outing is not a safe thing to do...

Plot Keywords:

Cattle | Outlaw | Sheriff | Railroad | Murder

Cast

Errol Flynn	...	Wade Hatton
Olivia de Havilland	...	Abbie Irving
Ann Sheridan	...	Ruby Gilman
Bruce Cabot	...	Jeff Surrett
Frank McHugh	...	Joe Clemens
Alan Hale	...	Rusty Hart
John Litel	...	Matt Cole
Henry Travers	...	Dr. Irving
Henry O'Neill	...	Col. Dodge
Victor Jory	...	Yancey
William Lundigan	...	Lee Irving
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	Tex Baird
Bobs Watson	...	Harry Cole
Gloria Holden	...	Mrs. Cole
Douglas Fowley	...	Munger
Georgia Caine	...	Mrs. Irving
Charles Halton	...	Surrett's lawyer
Ward Bond	...	Bud Taylor
Cora Witherspoon	...	Mrs. McCoy
Russell Simpson	...	Orth
Monte Blue	...	Barlow
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hank Bell	...	Arrested man with mustache (uncredited)
Clem Bevans	...	Charley (the barber) (uncredited)
George Bloom	...	Townsman (uncredited)
James Burke	...	Cattle auctioneer (uncredited)
Horace B. Carpenter	...	Train passenger (uncredited)
Nat Carr	...	Crocker (uncredited)
Spencer Charters	...	Reverend (uncredited)
Tom Chatterton	...	Passenger (uncredited)
George Chesebro	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Chester Clute	...	Coggins (uncredited)
Richard Cramer	...	Hotel desk clerk (uncredited)
Joseph Crehan	...	Hammond (uncredited)
Jim Farley	...	Engineer (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	Cowhand (uncredited)
Sam Garrett	...	Rider / Roper (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	...	Train fireman (uncredited)
Fred Graham	...	Al (uncredited)
George Guhl	...	Marshal Jason (uncredited)
Thurston Hall	...	Twitchell (uncredited)
Earle Hodgins	...	Spieler (uncredited)
Robert Homans	...	Mail clerk (uncredited)
Reed Howes	...	Joe (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee	...	Printer (uncredited)
Bernard L. Kowalski	...	Extra (uncredited)
Lillian Lawrence	...	League Member (uncredited)
Vera Lewis	...	League member in polka-dot dress (uncredited)
Wilfred Lucas	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Merrill McCormick	...	Man wanting revenge by hanging (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Man at funeral (uncredited)
Pat O'Malley	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Bud Osborne	...	Stagecoach driver / waiter (uncredited)
Henry Otho	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Mr. Turner (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford	...	Brawler (uncredited)
Francis Sayles	...	Stage shotgun guard (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson	...	Man wanting revenge by hanging (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Curtiz

Writing credits
Robert Buckner		(original screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Lord	....	associate producer (uncredited)
Hal B. Wallis	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Max Steiner
Adolph Deutsch		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Sol Polito		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
George Amy

Art Direction by
Ted Smith

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sherry Shourds	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Oliver S. Garretson	....	sound

Special Effects by
Byron Haskin	....	special effects
Rex Wimpy	....	special effects

Stunts
Harold Breen	....	stunts (uncredited)
Yakima Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	....	stunt double: Victor Jory (uncredited)
Fred Graham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Duke Green	....	stunts (uncredited)
Herbert Holcombe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Don Turner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buster Wiles	....	stunt double: Errol Flynn and Douglas Fowley (uncredited)
Jack Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ray Rennahan	....	associate photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Milo Anderson	....	costumes

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Hugo Friedhofer	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Jo Graham	....	dialogue director
Natalie Kalmus	....	color director
Morgan Padelford	....	associate technicolor color director

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1939) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1951) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (black and white)
• Dominant Pictures Corporation (1957) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (black and white)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | West Germany:12 (nf) | Norway:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (re-rating) (1989) | USA:Approved (PCA #4980)

Filming Locations:

Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The man Errol Flynn throws through the window of the barbershop was none other than his pal and long-time drinking companion, stuntman Buster Wiles.

Goofs:

Continuity: The Matt Cole's tombstone reads "Died June 6, 1875". Afterward, the sheriff's notices, published by Dodge City Star, read "July 1, 1872".

Quotes:

Wade Hatton: Well, what's the news in Dodge?
Charley: Well, just about the same as always. Gamblin', drinkin', and killin'. Mostly killin'.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Life Is Like a Mighty River

5 Reasons To Like This Old Western

This is one of the better old-time westerns because:

1 - It is a very fast-moving story. No lulls here. 2 - The hero of the story (Errol Flynn) is a very likable guy. 3 - The gorgeous Technicolor (not many color films made around this time) which looks even bolder and brighter on the DVD. 4 - The story sports a good combination of action, drama, romance and comedy. 5 - A very young Olivia de Havilland at her prettiest

This was one of the first westerns to feature a well-known actor, helping to give the genre a boost in reputation. Bruce Cabot and Victory Jory are credible as villains. Alan Hale is tolerable in his normal role as the buffoon. The only disappointment was Ann Sheridan, a beautiful woman who did not look as attractive in this film and had a role much smaller than one would believe from the billing she gets on the DVD back cover.