Desert Gold
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
James Hogan
Larry "buster" Crabbe
Monte Blue
Glenn Erikson
Frank Mayo
Walter Miller
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In Arizona, Moya, an Indian schooled in the white man's ways, becomes chief of his small tribe upon his father's death. In town, Moya is approached by Chetley Kasedon, who wants to be made a partner in mining the tribe's hidden gold mine. When Moya refuses, Chet's henchmen trail and kidnap him in order to force him to lead them to the mine, which is located in the Superstition Mountains. Meanwhile, in a stagecoach, Eastern mining engineer Randolph Gale, traveling with his young tenderfoot friend, Fordyce Mortimer, called "Ford," meets Doctor Belding and his daughter Judith, who are returning from Tuscon for Judith's wedding. In town, Randolph then meets Chet, who tells him he is searching for the richest gold mine in that part of the country and advises him that the mine will belong to the first white man who finds it. Chet's brother Glenn, who is familiar with the Superstition Mountains, leads Randolph and Ford into the hills, then leaves them to search for the mine. Upon entering the mountains, Randolph and Ford find Chet whipping Moya. Despite Randolph's protestations, Chet continues the beating, and Moya refuses to reveal the whereabouts of the mine. Under cover of night, Randolph creeps into Chet's mountain camp and takes Moya's bleeding body to Doc. There, Randolph learns that Judith, with whom he has fallen in love, is engaged to Chet, but has stopped wearing her engagement ring. Out of gratitude for saving his life, Moya makes Randolph a member of his tribal family and gives him a thoroughbred horse named "Drako," who was bred by the tribe. Moya also hires Randolph, saying he needs a white man to help make the mine profitable. After Moya shows him the mine, Randolph has Moya's gold specimens analyzed by assayer J. T. Winters, who reports to Chet that Randolph has located the mine. While Chet prepares to marry Judith, his henchman attempts to abduct Randolph and Ford, but Randolph knocks him out and rushes to stop the wedding. With her father's help, Randolph kidnaps Judith in her wedding dress and hides her at Moya's mining camp, where he realizes she loves him. Chet follows with his armed henchmen and opens fire on the camp from behind some rocks, killing an Indian guide who was on his way to retrieve Moya from the village. Judith bravely mounts Drako, who leads her to the Indian village, while Randolph uses dynamite to expose Chet's men. As Randolph fights Chet on a cliff, Moya arrives and shoots him, and he falls to his death, leaving Judith free to marry Randolph.
Director
James Hogan
Cast
Larry "buster" Crabbe
Monte Blue
Glenn Erikson
Frank Mayo
Walter Miller
Raymond Hatton
Marsha Hunt
Robert Cummings
Tom Keene
John Merkyl
Anders Van Haden
Si Jenks
James P. Burtis
Ed Thorpe
Philip Morris
Willis Marks
Gertrude Simpson
Billy Bletcher
Robert Mckenzie
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The title card on viewed print reads: "Zane Grey's Desert Gold." Grey's novel was serialized in Popular magazine, beginning March 1, 1913. Other versions of Grey's novel include the 1919 film of the same title produced by Zane Grey Pictures, Inc., directed by T. Hayes Hunter and starring E. K. Lincoln and Margery Wilson and the 1926 Paramount film of the same title directed by George B. Seitz and starring Neil Hamilton and Shirley Mason.
