Sagebrush Trail (1933)

The Duke is wrongly convicted for a killing, but he escapes from prison and heads out west to find the real killer.

Director:

Armand Schaefer

Writers:

Lindsley Parsons (story), Lindsley Parsons (screenplay)

Stars:

John Wayne, Nancy Shubert, Lane Chandler

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	John Brant - aka Smith
Nancy Shubert	...	Sally Blake
Lane Chandler	...	Joseph Conlon - alias Bob Jones
Yakima Canutt	...	Ed Walsh
Henry Hall	...	Dad Blake
Hal Taliaferro	...	Deputy Sheriff (as Wally Wales)
Art Mix	...	Henchman
Bob Burns	...	Sheriff Parker

Storyline

Imprisoned for a murder he did not commit, John Brant escapes and ends up out west where, after giving the local lawmen the slip, he joins up with an outlaw gang. Brant finds out that 'Jones', one of the outlaws he has become friends with, committed the murder that Brant was sent up for, but has no knowledge that anyone was ever put in jail for his crime. Willing to forgive and forget, Brant doesn't realize that 'Jones' has not only fallen for the same pretty shopgirl Brant has, but begins to suspect that Brant is not truly an outlaw.

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Plot Keywords:

wrongly accused | romantic rivalry | stagecoach robbery | country store | escaped convict | 

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Taglines:

ROMANCE RIDES! In A Drama Of Thundering Hoofs And Blazing Guns!

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

William Dyer died a week after the film premiered.

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Goofs

Multiple "modern" utility and power poles seen throughout the gunfight and chases at or around the mine towards the end..

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Quotes

[after eluding the sheriff by swimming underwater, John emerges on the far side of the lake at the feet of a tall gunslinger]
John Brant: Well, I guess you got me.
Joseph Conlon: [snorts] Come on out, stranger. I ain't the law. You're a pretty smart hombre and you got plenty of nerve. It strikes me that the boss could use somebody like you. What's your name?
[John glares at him]
Joseph Conlon: Smith, ain't it. That's the handle most of you fast travelers use. Aw, it's as good a name as any. Mine's Jones!
[they shake hands]
Joseph Conlon: Say, you're pretty ...

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer colorized version.

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Connections

Referenced in Within a Minute: The Making of 'Episode III' (2005)

User Reviews

Not Bad At All For a B-Western

While it is rather slow at times, and not always plausible, in general this is not bad at all for a B-Western. It's interesting to see John Wayne in one of his earlier roles, and while he's hardly yet become "The Duke" in this one, he's likable and worth seeing. The setup is interesting, and while the movie does not get everything it could have out of the possibilities, it still has enough going on to hold your attention.

Wayne plays a character who was unjustly convicted of murder, and who has broken out of prison in order to look for the real killer. He runs across a gang of outlaws, and when he begins to realize that things are different than he thought they were, he is faced with some real dilemmas. Later on in his career, Wayne could have done much more with this kind of role, but here he is at least always sympathetic. Although it misses some opportunities to make things more interesting, there should be enough story and action to make this one worthwhile if you enjoy older Westerns.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 December 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sagebrush Trail

Filming Locations:

Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paul Malvern Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

54 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Balsley & Phillips Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1