Courage of the West
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Joseph H. Lewis
Bob Baker
J. Farrell Macdonald
Lois January
Fuzzy Knight
Harry Woods
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
During the Civil War, the Union needs gold and silver from the West, but outlaws continually steal the ore before delivery, so President Abraham Lincoln establishes the free rangers to bring law to the West. After a wagon train carrying gold for the federal government is attacked by the Wilkins gang, Buck Saunders, the sole survivor, vows vengeance on the gang. Buck captures Al Wilkins, the leader of the gang, and believing that Al will be hanged, he promises to care for Al's son Jack. He takes Jack with him to Oregon, where he adopts the boy. Al, meanwhile, breaks out of jail. Jack grows up to be a ranger like Buck. Hearing that the government intends to disband the free rangers, Buck travels to Washington, leaving Jack in charge of the rangers. Jack meets Beth Andrews, who is traveling to California to establish a ranch along with her foreman. In Washington, Buck convinces the government not to disband the rangers by promising to capture the men who stole a recent gold shipment. Jack sets a trap for the robbers, but they learn about the plan and are able to avoid it. Jack follows their trail to Beth's ranch. One of the rangers recognizes her foreman as Al Wilkins and telegraphs to Buck. Al is planning to rob the Wells Fargo office and, in order to mislead Jack, claims that rustlers have stolen Beth's horses. Once they are on the trail, Al pretends to return for the rest of the rangers, leaving Jack alone so Al's men can kill him. Buck is waiting at the ranch when Al returns. Al recognizes him and shoots him, but when Buck tells Al that Jack is his son, Al begs Buck not to tell Jack the truth about him and hurries off to save his son's life. During the following battle, Al is killed. The outlaws are captured and Jack stays behind to marry Beth when the rangers leave.
Director
Joseph H. Lewis
Cast
Bob Baker
J. Farrell Macdonald
Lois January
Fuzzy Knight
Harry Woods
Carl Stockdale
Buddy Cox
Forrest Taylor
Albert Russell
Jack Montgomery
Charles French
Thomas Monk
Oscar Gahan
Richard Cramer
Crew
Fleming Allen
Jesse Bastian
Trem Carr
Charles Clague
Glen Cook
Charles Craft
Stephen Foster
Paul Malvern
Virgil Miller
Norton S. Parker
Robert Pritchard
Frank Santuck
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Bob Baker made his film debut in this production. Hollywood Reporter notes that scenes were filmed on location at Lone Pine, CA. According to modern sources, Baker had been raised on ranches in Arizona and Colorado and worked as a rodeo performer and radio singer before his movie career.
