Blue Steel (1934)

U.S. marshal John Carruthers observes a robbery and Sheriff Jake thinks he may be the culprit. Meanwhile the town's leading citizen is planning to rob everybody blind.

Director:

Robert N. Bradbury (as Robert Bradbury)

Writers:

Robert N. Bradbury (story) (as Robert Bradbury), Robert N. Bradbury (screen play) (as Robert Bradbury)

Stars:

John Wayne, Eleanor Hunt, George 'Gabby' Hayes

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	John Carruthers
Eleanor Hunt	...	Betty Mason
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	Sheriff Jake Withers (as George Hayes)
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Malgrove (as Edward Peil)
Yakima Canutt	...	Danti - the Polka Dot Bandit
Lafe McKee	...	Dan Mason
George Cleveland	...	Hank - Innkeeper
Earl Dwire	...	Henchman

Storyline

When Sheriff Jake sees a man at the safe and then finds the payroll gone, he trails him. Just as he is about to arrest him, the man saves his life. Still suspicious, he joins up with the man and later they learn that Melgrove, the towns leading citizen, is trying to take over the area's ranches by having his gang stop all incoming supply wagons. With the ranchers about to sell to Melgrove, the two newcomers say they will bring in provisions.

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Plot Keywords:

b movie | b western | poverty row film | low budget film | double feature film | 

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Taglines:

HE TURNED MAN-HUNTER TO RUN DOWN A GANG OF OF THIEVING SCOUNDRELS! (1939 reissue poster-all caps)

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Western

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

The earliest documented telecasts of this film took place in Cincinnati Monday 19 September 1949 on WCPO (Channel 7), in Los Angeles Wednesday 26 October 1949 on KTSL (Channel 2) and 4 December 1949 on KECA (Channel 7), in Philadelphia Monday 31 October 1949 on WFIL (Channel 6), and in New York City Monday 17 July 1950 on WOR (Channel 9).

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Goofs

When Carruthers and Sheriff Jake arrive to Yucca City, riding with Malgrove and Danti, Carruthers and Jake ride until the middle of the group. The next shot shows both leaving the horses in the right-hand side of the group.

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Quotes

[the bridegroom returns to the front desk]
Hank, innkeeper: Well, speak up, young man. What is it?
The bridegroom: I can't find it.
Hank, innkeeper: You can't?
The bridegroom: Nope.
Hank, innkeeper: Well, whatever have you lost?
The bridegroom: I ain't lost nothin'!
Hank, innkeeper: Well, what in the world is it you can't find?
The bridegroom: Well, ah, you see its, ah...
[giggles]
[...]

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer colorized version.

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Connections

Remake of Galloping Thru (1931)

User Reviews

Starving Out A Town

Blue Steel finds sheriff Gabby Hayes on the trail of a bandit known as the Polka Dot Bandit by his distinctive polka dot neckerchief. After a robbery at a local hotel, Hayes has reason to suspect a tall stranger played by John Wayne as the bandit.

But before he can act on his suspicions both of them get themselves involved in foiling a scheme by a group of outlaws who are starving out a town and they're an especially murderous bunch, attacking supply trains and killing everyone on the trains.

It's not too hard to figure out who's behind all this dirty work, especially when you hear one of the town's leading citizens make a 'sacrificial' offer for everyone's land. Wayne and Hayes come to the same conclusion as the audience does and spend the rest of the film foiling the dastardly scheme.

Blue Steel has lots of action in it, the action covers up some of the holes in the storyline. The villain also has designs on the daughter of another town leading citizen and Eleanor Hunt plays the daughter in the best Little Nell manner of all those Victorian morality plays.

Still John Wayne and Gabby Hayes work well together and it's not the best or the worst of Wayne's Lone Star films.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 May 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blue Steel

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paul Malvern Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

54 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1