Roaring Guns (1944)

Farmers take up arms against miners whose high water pressure mining operations are destroying their farms with mud and water runoff.

Director:

Jean Negulesco

Writers:

Ed Earl Repp (screenplay), Clements Ripley (original story),

Stars:

Robert Shayne, Virginia Patton, Mark Stevens

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Shayne	...	Jared Whitney
Virginia Patton	...	Karen Ferris
Mark Stevens	...	Lance Ferris (as Stephen Richards)
Charles Arnt	...	Col. Chris Ferris
Norman Willis	...	Michen - Mine Foreman
Russell Simpson	...	Farmer MacKenzie
Art Baker	...	Narrator (voice)

Storyline

Jarrod Whitney, sent to manage a hydraulic mining operation in 1870's California, becomes concerned for the plight of the farmers whose land is being systematically destroyed by the erosion caused by the mining.

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Plot Keywords:

mining | stock footage | gold | farmer | gun | 

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Genres:

Short | Action | Adventure | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 February 1944 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

19 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vitaphone production reel #A1183

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Connections

Version of Gold Is Where You Find It (1938)

User Reviews

Environmental concerns were evident in 1944

Environmental concerns were evident in 1944 when Warner Brothers decided to use stock footage left over from earlier films, and the end result is this turkey. If you watch this short because it was directed by the great Jean Negulesco, who later went on to direct such hits as "How to Marry a Millionaire" and "The Greatest Story Ever Told", prepare to be disappointed. A weak script, low budget, and excessive use of stock footage combined with a dull leading man, Robert Shayne, results in a 19 minute short whose sole redeeming feature is whatever impact it might have in your becoming concerned about environmental rape and destruction. I think this type of film resulted when a studio had a lot of people, actors, editors and directors who needed something to do. It is just too bad the story by Clements Ripley and the screenplay by Ed Earl Repp was inadequate for the resources assigned to the project. Unless you really want to take a brief look at strip-mining concerns, my advice is to skip viewing this film. You can find something better to do with your 19 minutes of free time.