Dark Command (1940)
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- Passed
- 1h 34min
- Drama, Romance
- 15 Apr 1940 (USA)
- Movie
In Kansas, during the Civil War opposing pro-Union and pro-Confederate camps clash and visiting Texan Bob Seton runs afoul of William Cantrell's Raiders.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- Nominated for 2 Oscars.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Claire Trevor | ... |
Mary McCloud
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| John Wayne | ... |
Bob Seton
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| Walter Pidgeon | ... |
William 'Will' Cantrell
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| Roy Rogers | ... |
Fletch McCloud
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| George 'Gabby' Hayes | ... |
Doc Grunch
(as George Hayes)
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| Porter Hall | ... |
Angus McCloud
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| Marjorie Main | ... |
Mrs. Cantrell / Mrs. Adams
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| Raymond Walburn | ... |
Judge Buckner
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| Joe Sawyer | ... |
Bushropp
(as Joseph Sawyer)
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| Helen MacKellar | ... |
Mrs. Hale
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| J. Farrell MacDonald | ... |
Dave
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| Trevor Bardette | ... |
Mr. Hale
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Ernie Adams | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Richard Alexander | ... |
Phil - Guerrilla Guarding Seton (uncredited)
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Earl Askam | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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| Hank Bell | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Ray Bennett | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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| Stanley Blystone | ... |
Tough (uncredited)
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| Ed Brady | ... |
Juror (uncredited)
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| Al Bridge | ... |
Slave Trader (uncredited)
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| Roy Bucko | ... |
Brawler (uncredited)
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Nora Bush | ... |
Townswoman (uncredited)
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| Budd Buster | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Yakima Canutt | ... |
Townsman on Balcony (uncredited)
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| Bob Card | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Horace B. Carpenter | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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Burr Caruth | ... |
Minister (uncredited)
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| Noble 'Kid' Chissell | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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| Edmund Cobb | ... |
Juror #3 (uncredited)
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| Tex Cooper | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Harry Cording | ... |
Angry Townsman in Bank (uncredited)
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Bobby Crandall | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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Marvin Davis | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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Art Dillard | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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| John Dilson | ... |
Town Leader (uncredited)
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| Edward Earle | ... |
Town Leader (uncredited)
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Betty Farrington | ... |
Townswoman (uncredited)
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| Robert Ferrero | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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Joseph Forte | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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Mildred Gover | ... |
Ellie - Mary's Maid (uncredited)
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| Herman Hack | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Frank Hagney | ... |
Tough Yankee #2 (uncredited)
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Al Haskell | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Edward Hearn | ... |
Jury Foreman (uncredited)
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| Howard Hickman | ... |
Southerner Orating for Votes (uncredited)
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| Lloyd Ingraham | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Jack Kirk | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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| Ethan Laidlaw | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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Mike Lally | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Tom London | ... |
Messenger (uncredited)
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| Walter Long | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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Jack Low | ... |
Juror #2 (uncredited)
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Herbert MacGregor | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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| Cactus Mack | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Nelson McDowell | ... |
Farmer (uncredited)
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| Joe McGuinn | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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| John Merton | ... |
Cantrell Man (uncredited)
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Michael Miller | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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| Jack Montgomery | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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Dolly Nardon | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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Lawrence Osman | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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Russell Palmer | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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Harvard Peck | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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Dick Rich | ... |
Dental Patient #1 (uncredited)
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Lee Riggin | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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| Jack Rockwell | ... |
Assassin of Angus McCloud (uncredited)
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Clinton Rosemond | ... |
Tom - McClouds' Servant (uncredited)
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| Tom Smith | ... |
Posse Rider (uncredited)
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| Harry Strang | ... |
Man About to Withdraw Money from Bank (uncredited)
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| Glenn Strange | ... |
Tough Yankee #1 (uncredited)
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Bob Sáenz | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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| Hal Taliaferro | ... |
Angry Townsman in Bank (uncredited)
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| Al Taylor | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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| Ferris Taylor | ... |
Banker (uncredited)
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Ernest Tobey | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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| Ethel Wales | ... |
Townswoman (uncredited)
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Cecil Weston | ... |
Townswoman (uncredited)
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| Henry Wills | ... |
Guerrilla (uncredited)
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| Harry Woods | ... |
Man in Fight with Seton (uncredited)
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| Bob Woodward | ... |
Yankee (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Raoul Walsh | ||
Written by
| Grover Jones | ... | (screenplay) & |
| Lionel Houser | ... | (screenplay) & |
| F. Hugh Herbert | ... | (screenplay) |
| W.R. Burnett | ... | (novel) |
| Jan Fortune | ... | (adaptation) |
Produced by
| Sol C. Siegel | ... | associate producer |
Music by
| Victor Young | ... | (musical score) |
Cinematography by
| Jack A. Marta | ... | (photography) (as Jack Marta) |
Film Editing by
| William Morgan | ||
Editorial Department
| Murray Seldeen | ... | supervising editor |
Art Direction by
| John Victor Mackay | ||
Costume Design by
| Adele Palmer | ... | (costumes) |
Production Management
| Al Wilson | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Yakima Canutt | ... | second unit director (uncredited) |
| Kenneth Holmes | ... | assistant director (uncredited) |
| Joseph Kane | ... | second unit director (uncredited) |
| Cliff Lyons | ... | second unit director (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Ralph Bucko | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Roy Bucko | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Yakima Canutt | ... | stunt coordinator (uncredited) |
| Tommy Coats | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Art Dillard | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Bert Dillard | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Frank Hagney | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Al Haskell | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Mike Lally | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Cliff Lyons | ... | stunt double: John Wayne (uncredited) |
| Cactus Mack | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Jack Montgomery | ... | stunt double: Walter Pidgeon (uncredited) |
| Eddie Parker | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Henry Wills | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Bob Woodward | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Bill Yrigoyen | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Joe Yrigoyen | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Bud Thackery | ... | special process photographer (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Charles Bradshaw | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Herman Hand | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
Other crew
| Sid Davis | ... | stand-in: John Wayne (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Republic Pictures (I) (presents)
Distributors
- Republic Pictures (I) (1940) (United States) (theatrical)
- British Lion Film Corporation (1940) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (as British Lion Film Corporation Ltd.)
- General Film Distributors (GFD) (1940) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Acme Films (1940) (Philippines) (theatrical)
- Merkur Film (1948) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Gaumont (1949) (France) (theatrical)
- Löwen Filmverleih (1949) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Gloria Filmverleih (1951) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Republic Pictures (I) (1952) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- NTA Home Entertainment (1984) (United States) (VHS)
- Republic Pictures Home Video (1988) (United States) (VHS)
- Republic Pictures Home Video (1991) (United States) (VHS) (colorized)
- Republic Entertainment (2000) (United States) (DVD)
- Artisan Entertainment (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
- Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2007) (United States) (DVD) (2-film set)
- Maple Pictures (2007) (Canada) (DVD) (2-film set)
- Olive Films (2012) (Canada) (Blu-ray)
- Olive Films (2012) (Canada) (DVD)
- Olive Films (2012) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- Olive Films (2012) (United States) (DVD)
- Epoca (Argentina) (VHS)
- Filmjuwelen (2018) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- American Film Technologies (colorization)
- Republic Pictures (VHS package design)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
When transplanted Texan Bob Seton arrives in Lawrence, Kansas he finds much to like about the place, especially Mary McCloud, daughter of the local banker. Politics is in the air however. It's just prior to the civil war and there is already a sharp division in the Territory as to whether it will remain slave-free. When he gets the opportunity to run for marshal, Seton finds himself running against the respected local schoolteacher, William Cantrell. Not is what it seems however. While acting as the upstanding citizen in public, Cantrell is dangerously ambitious and is prepared to do anything to make his mark, and his fortune, on the Territory. When he loses the race for marshal, he forms a group of raiders who run guns into the territory and rob and terrorize settlers throughout the territory. Eventually donning Confederate uniforms, it is left to Seton and the good citizens of Lawrence to face Cantrell and his raiders in one final clash. Written by garykmcd |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | A drama of undying love See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $1,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | The character of Will Cantrell is loosely based on the real-life Confederate guerrilla leader William Quantrill. Like Cantrell, Quantrill was born in Ohio, taught school in Lawrence, KS, became a guerrilla fighter on the Confederate side and burned Lawrence to the ground. However, the Confederacy eventually distanced itself from him and later revoked his commission and disowned him, because of his band's propensity for executing prisoners, massacring civilians, looting and raping. The real Quantrill died not at the hands of "Bob Seton" but during an ambush by a Union cavalry unit. Unable to escape on account of a skittish horse, he was shot in the back and paralyzed from the chest down. He was brought by wagon to Louisville, KY, and taken to the military prison hospital, located on the north side of Broadway at 10th Street. He died from his wounds on June 6, 1865, at the age of 27. See more » |
| Goofs | Throughout the film, Colt Single Action Army revolvers (commonly known as Peacemakers) are used by various actors including John Wayne, Roy Rogers, and George 'Gabby' Hayes. This revolver was not produced until the 1870s. The film is set in the late 1850s and 1860s. The Colt is the 1873 model so it could not have been in the Civil War. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into Law of the Golden West (1949). See more » |
| Soundtracks | My Country Tis of Thee See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Opening credits prologue: In those years, 1859 and on, in the dusk before the nation plunged into the red night of civil warfare, the plains of Kansas were an earlier battleground. Down from the north, down to Kansas: up from the south, up to Kansas, came hordes - each bent on voting the territory into the Union as its own. The battle cry of the day was - - "On to Kansas." See more » |
| Quotes |
Miss Mary McCloud:
I thought they bred men of flesh and blood in Texas. I was wrong. You're made of granite! Bob 'Shortcut' Seton: No, Mary, just common clay. It bakes kind of hard in Texas. See more » |