Angel and the Badman (1947)

Quirt Evans, an all round bad guy, is nursed back to health and sought after by Penelope Worth, a Quaker girl. He eventually finds himself having to choose between his world and the world Penelope lives in.

Director:

James Edward Grant

Writer:

James Edward Grant

Stars:

John Wayne, Gail Russell, Harry Carey

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	Quirt Evans
Gail Russell	...	Penelope Worth
Harry Carey	...	Marshal Wistful McClintock
Bruce Cabot	...	Laredo Stevens
Irene Rich	...	Mrs. Worth
Lee Dixon	...	Randy McCall
Stephen Grant	...	Johnny Worth
Tom Powers	...	Dr. Mangram
Paul Hurst	...	Frederick Carson
Olin Howland	...	Bradley (as Olin Howlin)
John Halloran	...	Thomas Worth
Joan Barton	...	Lila Neal
Craig Woods	...	Ward Withers
Marshall Reed	...	Nelson

Storyline

Notorious gunman Quirt Evans is wounded and on the run. He arrives at a Quaker farm owned by Thomas Worth and his family where he collapses from exhaustion. Evans asks Thomas and his daughter Penelope to drive him into town in their wagon in order to send an urgent telegram. The telegram contains a land claim and is sent to the land recorder's office. The Quaker family is ignoring the town doctor's advice to rid themselves of the gunfighter and they compassionately tend to the delirious Evans. Penny Worth becomes intrigued by his ravings of past loves.When Evans regains consciousness, Penny explains to him about the Quaker credo of non-violence and way of life. Three weeks later, two desperadoes, Laredo Stevens and Hondo Jeffries, ride into town looking for Evans.Penny's younger brother, Johnny, rushes home to inform Evans of his visitors and Evans prepares to flee. Penny, now smitten with Evans, offers to run off with him. Upon hearing the sound of approaching horses, Evans grabs his...

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Plot Keywords:

falling off a horse | horse drawn wagon | reference to wyatt earp | laudenum | cynic | 

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Taglines:

The dramatic story of a girl in a man's world who taught a killer the real meaning of love!

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Genres:

Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 February 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Gun

Filming Locations:

Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$4,070,000, 31 December 1947

Company Credits

Production Co:

John Wayne Productions, Patnel Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Wayne (Quirt Evans) is nearly five months older than John Halloran, who played Thomas Worth, the father of Quirt's love interest Penelope Worth (Gail Russell) and 17 years older than Russell.

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Goofs

When walking down the street for the final showdown, the sun starts off to Quirt's right casting shadows to the left of screen, then a close shot shows shadows which could only come from a near-overhead sun, and then at the saloon the sun is coming from Quirt's left casting shadows to the right.

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Quotes

[Dr. Mangrum has been tending to Penny after the accident with the wagon; he takes a bottle from his buggy, drinks, and offers the bottle to Quirt]
Dr. Mangrum: Drink?
[no response from Quirt]
Dr. Mangrum: It's amazing the varied uses to which men put alcohol. To each different individual it's either a stimulant, a depressant or an anodine. Just now I'm using it as an anodine.
Quirt Evans: Get to the point.
Dr. Mangrum: The practice of medicine is one of the most infuriating professions known to man. It takes thirty years of experience to teach ...

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Connections

Featured in Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western (1997)

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Soundtracks

A Little Bit Different
(uncredited)
Written by Kim Gannon and Walter Kent
Performed by Joan Barton

User Reviews

Remarkably Underrated!!!

ANGEL AND THE BADMAN is a film that many John wayne fans may not have seen; nonetheless it's one of his best that shows a very different side.

Wayne as Quirt Evans is wounded and taken in by a gentle Quaker family. After he recuperates he notices their daughter--the absolutely drop dead gorgeous Gail Russell.

The plot of AATBM is remarkably similar to Harrison Ford's WITNESS (probably a remake).

But what ultimately makes this movie work is Wayne's performance, and Russell's natural "Angelic" qualities. The camera really loves her. There's one scene where she confesses' her love for Wayne, and is surprised he doesn't feel quite the same: "I never thought it could happen to one and not another." Her outright innocence in this scene is incredibly touching, and endearing, and you see how this affects Wayne in the same way.