Overland Trails


58m 1948

Brief Synopsis

Johnny Murdock (Johnny Mack Brown),who hasn't seen his father for some time, learns at Gold Flats that he has been killed by road agents, according to mining engineer Carter Morgan (Bill Kennedy) of Brandon Enterprises. He doesn't inform Johnny that Mark Brandon (Steve Darrell) has secretly inherited the rich claim. Johnny's old friend, Dusty Hanover (Raymond Hatton), gives Johnny an old poster which shows Brandon to be an escaped convict. They advise prospector Cramer (Ted Adams) to keep quiet about his own gold strike, but he partly reveals the location to Morgan before he is killed by Brandon's henchmen, while en route to the recorder's office. Mary Cramer (Virginia Carroll) is informed by Johnny of her husband's murder. Their young son, Bud (Lanny Rees as Sonny Rees), has a letter from his father which indicates the strike to be under a peculiary-shaped rock. Brand kills himself when Johnny confronts him with the old wanted poster. Brandon's daughter, Marcia (Virginia Belmont), blames Johnny and in revenge reveals to the public that Cramer's strike is on Dead Man's Basin. Morgan order the wagon train destined for the gold area to be wiped out by his men posing as Indians, but Johnny and Dusty help Mary and Marcia excape. The strange rock and the gold aare discovered by Johnny, and Mary becomes a rich woman. Morgan is killed by Johnny in a gun fight, and he and Marcia make plans for their future happiness.

Film Details

Release Date
Jan 31, 1948
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Monogram Productions, Inc.
Distribution Company
Monogram Distributing Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
58m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
5,233ft

Synopsis

Johnny Murdock arrives in Gold Flats looking for his prospector father, who was grubstaked by Carter Morgan, a crooked representative of Brandon Enterprises who persuades prospectors to sign contracts whereby, if the miner dies, his claim becomes the property of the company. Morgan tells Johnny that his father has been killed by road agents, but his father's old friend, Dusty Hanover, tells Johnny that his father was really killed by Rex Hillman, one of Morgan's thugs. Dusty shows Johnny a reward poster for Brandon under another name, and although he cannot prove it, he is sure that Brandon is an escaped prisoner. Johnny and Dusty advise prospector Matt Cramer not to reveal details of a new strike he has made. However, Morgan finds a piece of ore that Matt has dropped, and has it assayed. He then checks his company's records and finds that they staked Matt. After Matt tells Johnny and Dusty that his strike in Dead Man's Basin is a real bonanza, he heads with Morgan, for the county seat to file his claim. Johnny spots Morgan's henchmen trailing Matt's stage, and he and Dusty follow them. On board, Morgan tries to get Matt to tell him the location of his strike and offers him a $10,000 advance. Matt starts to reveal the location but Morgan's men hold up the stage and shoot Matt before he can provide a definite landmark. Later, Morgan orders two of his men to kill Johnny and Dusty, but they fail to do so. Johnny and Dusty trail the men back to the saloon, where Johnny shoots one of them. He tells the other, Hillman, to let Morgan and Brandon know that he is gunning for them. On their way to tell Matt's wife about her husband's death, Johnny and Dusty encounter Brandon's daughter Marcia, an arrogant young lady. Meanwhile, Morgan reports the latest strike to Brandon, who is unhappy that another miner has died under mysterious circumstances. Matt's young son Bud is able to give Johnny and Dusty more information about the exact location of the strike from a letter he received from his father. They decide to locate the claim and file it in Matt's wife Mary's name. Later, Johnny visits Brandon's home and, in front of his daughter, accuses him of killing his father and Matt. Then in private, he shows Brandon the reward poster. After Johnny leaves, Brandon kills himself. Marcia tells the whole town about the potential strike in Dead Man's Basin and starts a gold rush. She is now in charge of her father's company and asks Johnny what was on the poster. Johnny decides not to tell her, and as evidence of her good faith, Marcia gives Johnny Matt's contract, which would have left his wife and son destitute, to destroy. In the meantime, Morgan orders his men to fake an Indian attack on the prospectors' wagon train as it approaches Dead Man's Basin. Mary tells Johnny that she believes that Marcia knew nothing of her father's illegal activities. When the "Indians" attack, wiping out the wagon train, Johnny rescues Mary, Bud and Marcia. Later, Johnny and Dusty discover the location of Matt's strike. When Marcia accuses Morgan, who wants to marry her, of being responsible for all of the killings, he tells her that her father was an escaped convict. Johnny interrupts and he and Morgan engage in a fistfight. After Johnny defeats Morgan, he and Marcia plan their future together.

Film Details

Release Date
Jan 31, 1948
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Monogram Productions, Inc.
Distribution Company
Monogram Distributing Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
58m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
5,233ft

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

Modern sources add Artie Ortego to the cast.