Silver Lode (1954)

In Silver Lode, Dan Ballard is arrested by 4 Marshals for murder and theft but he denies the charges and searches for the real culprit even as the townsfolk start abandoning him.

Director:

Allan Dwan

Writers:

Karen DeWolf (story), Karen DeWolf (screenplay)

Stars:

John Payne, Lizabeth Scott, Dan Duryea

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Payne	...	Dan Ballard
Lizabeth Scott	...	Rose Evans
Dan Duryea	...	Fred McCarty
Dolores Moran	...	Dolly
Emile Meyer	...	Sheriff Wooley
Robert Warwick	...	Judge Cranston
John Hudson	...	Michael 'Mitch' Evans
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Johnson
Alan Hale Jr.	...	Kirk
Stuart Whitman	...	Wicker
Frank Sully	...	Paul Herbert, Telegrapher
Morris Ankrum	...	Zachary Evans
Hugh Sanders	...	Reverend Field
Florence Auer	...	Mrs. Elmwood
Roy Gordon	...	Dr. Elmwood

Storyline

Dan Ballard, a respected citizen in the western town of Silver Lode, has his wedding interrupted by four men led by Fred McCarty, an old acquaintance who, as a US Marshal, arrests Ballard for the murder of his brother and the theft of $20,000. Ballard seeks to stall McCarty while tracking down evidence that will prove his innocence: but the townspeople's loyalty to him gradually begins to waver under McCarty's accusations.

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Plot Keywords:

wild west | manhunt | revenge | vengeance | federal marshal | 

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Taglines:

WHILE THE MOB WAITS...they match bullet for bullet...life for life! (original one-sheet poster)

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 July 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Desperate Men

Filming Locations:

Republic Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Benedict Bogeaus Production,Pinecrest Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Eastman Color) Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the McCarthyism, political messages are usually cloaked in metaphors: for example, the name of the villain is Fred McCarty.

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Goofs

John Payne is seen throughout the film wearing black cowboy boots, but when his stunt double leaps aboard a wagon, the double is seen to wear low shoes with white socks.

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Connections

Featured in Fast Shooter: Stuart Whitman and Harry Carey, Jr. On Allan Dwan and 'Silver Lode' (2009)

User Reviews

On his wedding day an upright citizen well played by John Payne is detained and no one in town is willing to help him

Famed Western with a magnificent John Payne and a splendid Lizabeth Scott .This exciting picture tells the story of Dan Ballard( John Payne, Allan Dwan's usual actor)a respected citizen of a little town called Silver Lode , on his wedding day he has just promised marriage a young fiancée(Lizabeth Scott)and settle down for a peaceful existence.Just when they are about to marry on July 4 ,comes a vengeful agent named McCarty (Dan Duryea) and his henchmen(Harry Carey Jr, Stuart Whitman, Alan Hale Jr). McCarthy has sworn revenge and detain to undercover gunfighter. But Ballard escapes and is only helped by a gorgeous saloon girl named Dolly(Dolores Moran).

This classic western is plenty of suspense as the dreaded final showdown approaches and the protagonist realizes he must stand alone against impossible odds as his fellow town people for help ,nobody is willing to help him but they pursue him , while he attempts to clear his name as wrongfully accused of murder . The narration is almost adjusted in real time,from the beginning,the wedding, until the ending confrontation and is approximately developed in eighty one minutes and the starring is given two hours to resolve the accusation as murderer. For that reason it results to be a ¨High Noon¨ (1954,Fred Zinnemann)variation along with a relentless allegory and criticism of HUAC black list and McCarthyst era. Ample support cast full of known secondary actors as Emile Meyer, Robert Warwick, John Dierkes, Harry Carey Jr, Stuart Whitman, Alan Hale, many of them usual in Western. Although made in low budget by the producer Benedict Bogeaus is a very efficient film and very entertaining.The picture contains an excellent cinematography by John Alton( Noir cinema's usual photographer) and appropriate musical score. This quickie is finely directed by Allan Dwan , a craftsman working from the silent cinema, but ¨Silver Lode¨ is his unqualified masterpiece. Dwan directed over 1400 films, including one-reels, between his arrival in the industry (circa 1909) and his final film in 1961. Among them some good Western as ¨ Restless breed, The rivers edge,Cattle Queen of Montana,and Montana Belle¨.