DramaRomanceWestern

Dark Command

- A drama of undying love.

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.

Release Date : 1940-04-15

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Republic Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : The Dark Command

Cast

Character Name : Miss Mary McCloud

Original Name : Claire Trevor

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bob Seton

Original Name : John Wayne

Gender : Male

Character Name : William 'Will' Cantrell

Original Name : Walter Pidgeon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fletcher 'Fletch' McCloud

Original Name : Roy Rogers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Andrew 'Doc' Grunch

Original Name : George 'Gabby' Hayes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Angus McCloud

Original Name : Porter Hall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Cantrell / Mrs. Adams

Original Name : Marjorie Main

Gender : Female

Character Name : Judge Buckner

Original Name : Raymond Walburn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bushropp

Original Name : Joe Sawyer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Hale

Original Name : Helen MacKellar

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dave

Original Name : J. Farrell MacDonald

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Hale

Original Name : Trevor Bardette

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Ernie Adams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Phil - Guerrilla Guarding Seton

Original Name : Richard Alexander

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Earl Askam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Hank Bell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Ray Bennett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tough

Original Name : Stanley Blystone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Juror

Original Name : Ed Brady

Gender : Male

Character Name : Slave Trader

Original Name : Al Bridge

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brawler

Original Name : Roy Bucko

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townswoman

Original Name : Nora Bush

Gender : Female

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Budd Buster

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman on Balcony

Original Name : Yakima Canutt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Bob Card

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Horace B. Carpenter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minister

Original Name : Burr Caruth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Noble 'Kid' Chissell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Juror #3

Original Name : Edmund Cobb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Tex Cooper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Angry Townsman in Bank

Original Name : Harry Cording

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Bobby Crandall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Marvin Davis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Art Dillard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Town Leader

Original Name : John Dilson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Town Leader

Original Name : Edward Earle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townswoman

Original Name : Betty Farrington

Gender : Female

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Robert Ferrero

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Joseph Forte

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ellie - Mary's Maid

Original Name : Mildred Gover

Gender : Female

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Herman Hack

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tough Yankee #2

Original Name : Frank Hagney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Al Haskell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jury Foreman

Original Name : Edward Hearn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Southerner Orating for Votes

Original Name : Howard Hickman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Lloyd Ingraham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Jack Kirk

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Ethan Laidlaw

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Mike Lally

Gender : Male

Character Name : Messenger

Original Name : Tom London

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Walter Long

Gender : Male

Character Name : Juror #2

Original Name : Jack Low

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Herbert MacGregor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman

Original Name : Cactus Mack

Gender : Male

Character Name : Farmer

Original Name : Nelson McDowell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Joe McGuinn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cantrell Man

Original Name : John Merton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Jack Montgomery

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Dolly Nardon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Lawrence Osman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Russell Palmer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Harvard Peck

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dental Patient #1

Original Name : Dick Rich

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Lee Riggin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Assassin of Angus McCloud

Original Name : Jack Rockwell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tom - McClouds' Servant

Original Name : Clinton Rosemond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Posse Rider

Original Name : Tom Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man About to Withdraw Money from Bank

Original Name : Harry Strang

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tough Yankee #1

Original Name : Glenn Strange

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Bob Sáenz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Angry Townsman in Bank

Original Name : Hal Taliaferro

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Al Taylor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Banker

Original Name : Ferris Taylor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Ernest Tobey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townswoman

Original Name : Ethel Wales

Gender : Female

Character Name : Townswoman

Original Name : Cecil Weston

Gender : Female

Character Name : Guerrilla

Original Name : Henry Wills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Fight with Seton

Original Name : Harry Woods

Gender : Male

Character Name : Yankee

Original Name : Bob Woodward

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child

Original Name : Michael Miller

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

On to Kansas we go. Loosely based around a true story, Dark Command sees John Wayne play Bob Seton, an uneducated cowboy from Texas who wins around the people of Lawrence, Kansas to become their town Marshall just prior to the outbreak of the civil war. This angers the previously respectful town teacher, Will Cantrell (Walter Pidgeon), who after being beaten on the vote by Seton, forms guerrilla groups to raid, pillage and gun run around the Kansas countryside. Seton, now ensconced in the ways of the law, sets about crushing Cantrell and his unfeeling raiders, but there is also another matter at hand. Both men have deep affection for the same woman, Mary McCloud (Claire Trevor appearing with Wayne again after Stagecoach the previous year), so things are just that little bit more spicy between them as things start to come to a head. Directed by Raoul Walsh and adapted from the novel by W.R. Burnett ("Little Caesar" & "High Sierra"), the picture also contains fine support from Roy Rogers, Gabby Hayes and features a pleasing score from Victor Young. Though historically dubious, Dark Command is no less enjoyable for being a creaky distortion of the "Quantrill's Raiders" (Re: Cantrell} period in history. Those after a history lesson would be well advised to source from elsewhere in that respect. Catching John Wayne just as he was about to become the towering presence he was, the film also serves as notice to a time when stunts and character interplay were precious commodities. Walsh, ever the sharp eye for action, delivers some wonderful sequences here, horses and carts are a thundering, even careering over cliffs at one point. Whilst the final raid on Lawrence is a blood pumping feast for the eyes. But it's with the feel of the film that it ultimately succeeds as a period piece of note. The mood is dark as the civil War looms, slave trading and gun running sit distastefully with dubious politics, and then the war, with Cantrell and his raiders taking their spoils of war leaving a particularly nasty taste in the mouth. All of which is moodily cloaked in a Raoul Walsh inspired sheen. A tip top production all round, and a fine cast on form makes Dark Command a must see for Republic Studios enthusiasts. See it if you can. 7/10