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Western

Devil's Doorway

- M.G.M. presents a Great Drama of Flaming Frontiers !

A Native American Civil War hero returns home to fight for his people.

Release Date : 1950-08-18

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Robert Taylor

Character Name : Lance Poole

Original Name : Robert Taylor

Gender : Male

Louis Calhern

Character Name : Verne Coolan

Original Name : Louis Calhern

Gender : Male

Paula Raymond

Character Name : Orrie Masters

Original Name : Paula Raymond

Gender : Female

Marshall Thompson

Character Name : Rod MacDougall

Original Name : Marshall Thompson

Gender : Male

James Mitchell

Character Name : Red Rock

Original Name : James Mitchell

Gender : Male

Edgar Buchanan

Character Name : Zeke Carmody

Original Name : Edgar Buchanan

Gender : Male

Rhys Williams

Character Name : Scotty MacDougall

Original Name : Rhys Williams

Gender : Male

Spring Byington

Character Name : Mrs. Masters

Original Name : Spring Byington

Gender : Female

James Millican

Character Name : Ike Stapleton

Original Name : James Millican

Gender : Male

Bruce Cowling

Character Name : Lt. Grimes

Original Name : Bruce Cowling

Gender : Male

Fritz Leiber

Character Name : Mr. Poole

Original Name : Fritz Leiber

Gender : Male

Harry Antrim

Character Name : Dr. C.O. MacQuillan

Original Name : Harry Antrim

Gender : Male

Chief John Big Tree

Character Name : Thundercloud

Original Name : Chief John Big Tree

Gender : Male

William Bailey

Character Name : Posse Member (uncredited)

Original Name : William Bailey

Gender : Male

Rudy Bowman

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Rudy Bowman

Gender : Male

Vivian Brown

Character Name : Mrs. Campbell (uncredited)

Original Name : Vivian Brown

Gender : Male

Roy Butler

Character Name : Posse Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Roy Butler

Gender : Male

Bertha Cody

Character Name : Mary (uncredited)

Original Name : Bertha Cody

Gender : Male

Cecil Combs

Character Name : Posse Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Cecil Combs

Gender : Male

Frank Conlan

Character Name : Telegrapher (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Conlan

Gender : Male

Frank Cordell

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Cordell

Gender : Male

Harold A. Deane

Character Name : Surveyor (uncredited)

Original Name : Harold A. Deane

Gender : Male

Billy Engle

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Billy Engle

Gender : Male

Tom Fadden

Character Name : Bob Trammell (uncredited)

Original Name : Tom Fadden

Gender : Male

Dan Foster

Character Name : Rancher (uncredited)

Original Name : Dan Foster

Gender : Male

Dabbs Greer

Character Name : Spud Keith (uncredited)

Original Name : Dabbs Greer

Gender : Male

Herman Hack

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Herman Hack

Gender : Male

Al Haskell

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Al Haskell

Gender : Male

Whitey Hughes

Character Name : Posse Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Whitey Hughes

Gender : Male

Jack Kenny

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Kenny

Gender : Male

Henry Marco

Character Name : Jimmy (uncredited)

Original Name : Henry Marco

Gender : Male

Frank Matts

Character Name : Posse Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Matts

Gender : Male

John Maxwell

Character Name : Posse Member (uncredited)

Original Name : John Maxwell

Gender : Male

Kermit Maynard

Character Name : Barfly (uncredited)

Original Name : Kermit Maynard

Gender : Male

Merrill McCormick

Character Name : Homesteader (uncredited)

Original Name : Merrill McCormick

Gender : Male

Philo McCullough

Character Name : Posse Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Philo McCullough

Gender : Male

Frank McGrath

Character Name : Posse Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank McGrath

Gender : Male

Buddy Messinger

Character Name : Barfly (uncredited)

Original Name : Buddy Messinger

Gender : Male

Lee Phelps

Character Name : Posse Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Lee Phelps

Gender : Male

William Phillips

Character Name : Ed's Pal (uncredited)

Original Name : William Phillips

Gender : Male

Buddy Roosevelt

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Buddy Roosevelt

Gender : Male

Phil Schumacher

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Phil Schumacher

Gender : Male

George Sky Eagle

Character Name : Lone Bear (uncredited)

Original Name : George Sky Eagle

Gender : Male

Cecil Smith

Character Name : Indian (uncredited)

Original Name : Cecil Smith

Gender : Male

Titus Spencer

Character Name : Painter (uncredited)

Original Name : Titus Spencer

Gender : Male

Harry Tenbrook

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Tenbrook

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

The law says an Indian ain't got no more rights than a dog. Devil's Doorway is directed by Anthony Mann. It stars Robert Taylor as Lance Poole, a Shoshone Indian who returns home to Medicine-Bow from the American Civil War after a three year stint, and a veteran of three major conflicts. Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor he rightfully expects to be able to retire to a peaceful life back on the family land. However, all his hopes and dreams are shattered by bigotry and greed as new laws are ushered in to deprive the Native Indians land rights. Biting and cutting, Devil's Doorway is a Civil Rights Western that, boldly for its time, looks at the injustices done to Native Americans. Very much grim in texture, it's no surprise to see Anthony Mann at the helm for this material. Mann of course would go on to become a Western genre darling for his run of "Adult Westerns" he would do with James Stewart. Prior to this Mann had showed himself to have a keen eye for tough pieces with dark themes in a few well regarded film noir movies. So this was right up his street, in fact a glance at his output shows him to be something of a master when it comes to showing minority groups sympathetically. MGM were nervous tho, unsure as if taking the Western in this direction was the way to go, they pulled it from release in 1949. But after the impact that Delmer Daves' similar themed Broken Arrow made the following year, they ushered it out and the film promptly got lost amongst the plaudits for the James Stewart starrer. That's a shame because this is fit to sit alongside the best work Mann has done. Filmed in black & white, the film has beautiful landscapes that belie the bleak road the movie ultimately turns down. Shot on location at Aspen and Grand Junction in Colorado (the talented John Alton on cinematography), the film also manages to rise above its obvious eyebrow raising piece of casting. Robert Taylor always had his critics, hell I'm sometimes one of them, but here as he is cast against type as a Shoshone Indian, he gives the character conviction and a stoic nobility that really makes it work. Some of his scenes with the beautiful Paula Raymond (playing his lawyer Orrie Masters) are a lesson in maximum impact garnered from emotional restraint. You will be aware of the fluctuating skin pigmentation he has throughout the movie, but honestly look into his eyes and feel the confliction and loyalty and you really will not care. Scripted by Guy Trosper (Birdman of Alcatraz), the screenplay is unflinching in showing how badly the Native Americans were treated. Throw that in with Alton's other gift, that of the dusty barren land shot, and you got a very film noir feel to the movie. Something which not only is unique, but something that also showed a shift in the Hollywood Oater. We now get brains to match the action and aesthetics of the Western movie. Not that this is found wanting for action, Mann doesn't short change here either, with a dynamite led offensive purely adrenaline pumping. A fine fine movie, an important movie in fact. One that is in desperate need of more exposure. Still awaiting a widespread home format disc release, I quote Orrie Masters from the movie..."It would be too bad if we ever forget".... that applies to both the theme of the piece and the actual movie itself. 9/10