By Frank Miller
Freighters of Destiny
Brief Synopsis
A young man seeks vengeance on the outlaws who killed his father.
Cast & Crew
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Fred Allen
Director
Tom Keene
Steve Macey
Barbara Kent
Ruth
Mitchell Harris
Randolph Carter
Frederick Burton
John Macey
Frank Rice
Rough
Film Details
Genre
Western
Release Date
Oct
30,
1931
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Pathé Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Pathé Distributing Corp.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
57m
Film Length
6 reels
Synopsis
As they cross the "bad lands" of Lost Valley, John Macey's freighter caravan, which is carrying vital supplies to an isolated frontier settlement, is ambushed by outlaws. John is killed in the attack, and his carefree son Steve, who had abandoned the caravan to ride horses in the settlement, inherits the stricken freighter business. Unknown to Steve and Ruth, his supportive girl friend, Randolph Carter, a local banker, is plotting with the outlaws to destroy the Macey caravan so that he can take over the franchise. Consequently, when Steve asks Carter for a loan, he is refused. Distressed over their friend's financial predicament, Rough and Ready, teamsters on the freighter, decide to talk to Carter themselves. While waiting in Carter's office, they find his safe open and "borrow" some of his money to give to an unsuspecting Steve. When Carter discovers the money missing, he immediately accuses Steve, who is then pursued by a posse. Steve eludes the chase and takes refuge with Rough and Ready in a cabin hideout, which turns out to belong to Carter's outlaws. While hiding in a back room, Steve overhears the outlaws discussing the caravan ambush and Carter's participation in the theft of the wagons. After sending Rough and Ready to locate the stolen wagons, Steve rides to Ruth's home, where her father and other town store owners are meeting with Carter to discuss the freighter franchise. While Carter convinces the merchants not to renew Steve's contract, Steve sneaks into Ruth's bedroom to explain his plight. With help from his clever horse "Flash," Steve then evades capture once more and rides to join Rough, Ready and the reclaimed caravan. Four days later, the freighter enters the "bad lands" again and is set upon by Carter's men, who are eventually tricked into defeat. With moments to spare, Steve rides into town, fights Carter and exposes him to the townspeople in time to save his franchise.
Director
Fred Allen
Director
Cast
Tom Keene
Steve Macey
Barbara Kent
Ruth
Mitchell Harris
Randolph Carter
Frederick Burton
John Macey
Frank Rice
Rough
Billy Franey
Ready
William Welsh
Mercer
Fred Burns
Sheriff
Chas. Whittaker
Toller
Tom Bay
Heavy
Crew
Film Details
Genre
Western
Release Date
Oct
30,
1931
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Pathé Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Pathé Distributing Corp.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
57m
Film Length
6 reels
Articles
Freighters of Destiny -
This was Tom Keene's fourth starring Western and only his second under the name that would make him a B-movie star (he was billed by his birth name, George Duryea, until 1930). Like most low-budget Westerns, this film was made for a modest sum, only $39,000. But that didn't stop Keene from delivering, this time as a feckless youth who grows up fast when his father is killed, and he has to save the family's freight transport business. Unknown to him, the banker (Mitchell Harris) who refuses to lend him the money to save the company is also behind the outlaw raids that killed Keene's father and have cost them some of their wagons. Many of Keene's RKO Westerns were supervised by Fred Allen, a one-time editor, whose career dated back to silent films made for Thomas H. Ince. For this picture, he also moved into the director's chair, taking his cast to locations in California's Alabama Hills and Placerita Canyon. Leading lady Barbara Kent could also trace her career back to the silent days. She was the good girl in Flesh and the Devil (1926) but had trouble finding other quality productions. She retired in 1935 after marrying producer-agent Harry Edington.
By Frank Miller
By Frank Miller
Freighters of Destiny -
This was Tom Keene's fourth starring Western and only his second under the name that would make him a B-movie star (he was billed by his birth name, George Duryea, until 1930). Like most low-budget Westerns, this film was made for a modest sum, only $39,000. But that didn't stop Keene from delivering, this time as a feckless youth who grows up fast when his father is killed, and he has to save the family's freight transport business. Unknown to him, the banker (Mitchell Harris) who refuses to lend him the money to save the company is also behind the outlaw raids that killed Keene's father and have cost them some of their wagons. Many of Keene's RKO Westerns were supervised by Fred Allen, a one-time editor, whose career dated back to silent films made for Thomas H. Ince. For this picture, he also moved into the director's chair, taking his cast to locations in California's Alabama Hills and Placerita Canyon. Leading lady Barbara Kent could also trace her career back to the silent days. She was the good girl in Flesh and the Devil (1926) but had trouble finding other quality productions. She retired in 1935 after marrying producer-agent Harry Edington.
By Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Fred Allen made his directing debut in this film. This Allen is not the same as the famous comedian. Modern sources state that the film's budget was a meager $39,000.
