Blood on the Moon (1948)

Unemployed cowhand Jim Garry is hired by his dishonest friend Tate Riling as muscle in a dispute between homesteaders and cattleman John Lufton.

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Lillie Hayward (screenplay), Harold Shumate (adaptation)

Stars:

Robert Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert Preston

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Mitchum	...	Jim Garry
Barbara Bel Geddes	...	Amy Lufton
Robert Preston	...	Tate Riling
Walter Brennan	...	Kris Barden
Phyllis Thaxter	...	Carol Lufton
Frank Faylen	...	Jake Pindalest
Tom Tully	...	John Lufton
Charles McGraw	...	Milo Sweet
Clifton Young	...	Joe Shotten
Tom Tyler	...	Frank Reardon
George Cooper	...	Fred Barden
Tom Keene	...	Ted Elser (as Richard Powers)
Bud Osborne	...	Cap Willis
Zon Murray	...	Nels Titterton
Robert Bray	...	Bart Daniels

Storyline

When a shady-looking stranger rides into town to join his old friend it is assumed he is a hired gun. But as the new man comes to realise the unlawful nature of his buddy's business and the way the homesteaders are being used, the two men draw apart to become sworn enemies.

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Plot Keywords:

damsel in distress | stampeding cattle | wanderer | reformation | saloon brawl | 

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Taglines:

"Just remember...A WOMAN'S BULLETS KILL AS QUICK AS A MAN'S!" (original 22x28 Card A)

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

The novel by Luke Short upon which this film is based was serialized in The Saturday Evening Post from 15 March to 26 April 1941.

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Quotes

Jim Garry: I've seen dogs that wouldn't claim you for a son, Tate.

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Alternate Versions

Exists in computer-colored version.

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Connections

Featured in John Wayne Made Me Cry: Our Western Heros (2002)

User Reviews

One of the best westerns ever made

This film is a dark, brooding affair that has plenty of action and suspense and unfolds like an urban thriller. The story is lean and straightforward in its plot development of a range war, a staple of many westerns. Robert Mitchum is excellent as a drifting cowboy who gets caught in the middle of a feud between cattle ranchers and Barbara Bel Geddes matches him with her portrayal of a tough, feisty ranch girl. Robert Preston is also good as a rancher at odds with Tom Tully in their range war and there's a romantic angle that further complicates matters between the ranchers. The picture has crisp black and white camera work with noir shadings here and there and the music is also good. Of note in the film is a savage saloon brawl notable for its intensity, a brutal confrontation that ranks among the best in any western.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 November 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blood on the Moon

Filming Locations:

RKO Encino Ranch - Balboa Boulevard & Burbank Boulevard, Encino, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1