Riders of Destiny (1933)

Bad guy Kincaid controls the local water supply and plans to do in the other ranchers. Government agent Saunders shows up undercover to do in Kincaid and win the heart of one of his victims Fay Denton.

Director:

Robert N. Bradbury

Writer:

Robert N. Bradbury (story) (as R.N. Bradbury)

Stars:

John Wayne, Cecilia Parker, Forrest Taylor

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	Singin' Sandy Saunders
Cecilia Parker	...	Fay Denton
Forrest Taylor	...	James Kincaid
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	Charlie Denton (as George Hayes)
Al St. John	...	Bert - Henchman
Heinie Conklin	...	Elmer - Henchman
Yakima Canutt	...	Henchman
Earl Dwire	...	Slip Morgan
Lafe McKee	...	Sheriff Bill Baxter
Addie Foster	...	Mrs. Mason

Storyline

Kincade controls the area's water supply and is about to force the ranchers into contracts at exorbitant rates. Government Agent Saunders has a plan that will open up the lost river and dry up Kincade's supply. So he gets the ranchers to insist on a clause that Kincade's land will revert to the public if he fails to deliver water.

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Plot Keywords:

cowboy in tight pants | cowboy horse relationship | colt .45 | cowboys and outlaws | false accusation | 

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Taglines:

A Great Western Star in a WHIRLWIND of ACTION! (1947 poster)

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Genres:

Music | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 October 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Wasserrechte von Lost Creek

Filming Locations:

Andy Jauregui Ranch - Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paul Malvern Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

53 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Balsley & Phillips Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Wayne could not sing. The songs were dubbed by the son of director Robert N. Bradbury.

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Goofs

At 50 minutes, as Singin'Sandy chases the evil Kincaid, a modern power line/telephone pole, double poled high tension line, and even a radio tower can be clearly seen in the background. The power pole is to modern to even try to pass itself off as a telegraph pole, as does the one which can be seen by the side of the road behind Sandy as he gallops past.

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Quotes

Singin' Sandy Saunders: Howdy, folks. Could you tell me where the Sheriff is?
James Kincaid: Oh, I take charge when he isn't here. Can I do anything I can you do for you?
Singin' Sandy Saunders: Thanks, I'll wait for him.
James Kincaid: The Sheriff didn't care especially for this job - he might not come back.
Singin' Sandy Saunders: I'll take that chance. I have an idea he *will* come back.
[Singin' Sandy leaves the jailhouse]
James Kincaid: I don't like the way that fellow talks. We'll watch him.

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Alternate Versions

This film, and most of the rest of the "Lone Star Films" John Wayne catalogue no longer have their original musical score, save for Wayne's singing (whether from copyright problems or sound deterioration is unclear), and were replaced sometime in the 1980s with a score done on a synthesizer.

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Connections

Featured in Cowboy Legends: 50 Movie MegaPack (2016)

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Soundtracks

Song of the Wild
(uncredited)
Composer unknown
Performed by John Wayne

User Reviews

I just had to comment on this one.

I recently purchased this film on a special triple bill DVD from an overly cheap discount store, in fact it was so cheap that the three movie disc cost me just one single pound of my hard earned British currency.

This film was both fantastic and atrocious in one. An exciting plot, but with laughable performances from the entire cast.

We know that all great actors have to start somewhere and the lone star westerns of the early thirties were what John 'The Duke' Wayne cut his teeth on.

To look at his work in his final film The Shootist in 1976, you can see just how much he had learnt over his 40 years in the business and what a great actor he did eventually become, but to look at his performances in these early days, you can understand why he spent most of the 1930's in relative obscurity.

Although Wayne looks uncomfortable throughout most of these films and his acting is wooden to say the least, it can't all be blamed on him.

These movies were the product of their day and cannot be judged by todays standards. Intended only as supporting features, these long forgotten studios turned out these 'B' movies by the shed load. Badly formed scripts with badly shaped characters must have poured though these fledgling studios like water through a hoop and with a stock company of actors who's style was still formed in the pantomime silent era, they were bound to be a bit cheesy. In fact if in 1933 there were Oscars awarded for the greatest achievement in over acting then this would be the motion picture with greatest ever hoard.

Wayne's character is a notorious gunman with a name that must have put the fear of God into whoever crossed his path, Singing Sandy Saunders.

Laugh? I damn near wet my pants.

And if that wasn't enough to give me the biggest gut wrencher of the century, then George 'Gabby' Hayes certainly iced the cake.

After an appalling song that sounded like two cats fighting over a piece of fish in a metal barrel, the great Gabby uttered the line, "Mmmm. I could listen to that all night." The line itself is worthy of side stitching surgery, but the look of peace and serenity on his face was just too much for the old chuckle muscles which then went on to explode.

I can honestly say that a truly inspired and well written comedy has never made me laugh as much as this film did.

However the story is a good one, with the corrupt businessman holding the town's ranchers to ransom over his monopoly in the water market with a view of buying up all the farms etc.

It survives today as nothing more than a nostalgic glimpse into the past, not only at a bygone era in cinema making, but as a chance to see a real Hollywood legend finding his feet. This alone makes it worth every penny of the thirty-three pence I in effect paid for it.