Dodge City Trail


56m 1937

Brief Synopsis

Let's start with some house cleaning first. Columbia produced a series of Charles Starrett westerns that they called "Peter B. Kyne productions" but, other than allowing the use of his name, writer Peter B. Kyne was not the producer on any of the films in this series, and didn't even write the few he is credited with by some sources. Since the source for this error is one of those often-used and often-wrong sources that many researchers use, and...

Film Details

Genre
Western
Release Date
Feb 5, 1937
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Columbia Pictures Corp. of California, Ltd.
Distribution Company
Columbia Pictures Corp. of California, Ltd.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
56m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
7 reels

Synopsis

Ranch foreman Steve Braddock, who works at the Texas Ranch, oversees the herding of cattle from Texas to Dodge City, Kansas. Slim Grayson, the ranch owner's son, joins Steve on the trial to gain experience, which he desperately needs, as he has been schooled in the East and is a tenderfoot. Though not a skilled rancher, Slim proves a talented singer as he leads the cowpunchers in ranch songs at the campfire. While the cowboys are camping outside the town of Plainview, a rider approaches and tells the cattle train that Dawson's bandits have held up a stage and kidnapped a young woman passenger, whom they are holding for ransom. The woman, Marian Phillips, is soon rescued by a posse formed by Slim and Steve, and she tells them that she was on her way to visit her father in Plainview. Marian also tells Steve that she has been studying in England and that her visit will be a surprise to her father, who owns a ranch in Plainview. After hearing Marian's description of her estranged father, Steve is convinced that her father, Kenyon Phillips, is a man who goes by the name of Jackson. Steve quickly falls in love with Marian, and when he arrives in Plainview, he tries to convince Phillips, who he believes is behind the bandit raids, to quit the gambling and bandit racket for his daughter's sake. Phillips consents to give up his life of crime in exchange for a promise from Steve that he not expose him as the secret leader of the bandits. After meeting his daughter, Phillips announces that he will be leaving the gambling business. However, when Dawson learns of Phillips' plans, he forces him to stay in the gang and informs him that he has sent a man to kill Steve. Dawson's henchman fails in his attempt to kill Steve, and when Steve and Slim capture him, they force him to confess that he was sent by Dawson. Steve then turns Dawson's man over to the sheriff, but another Dawson henchman, who witnessed the capture, apprises his boss of the situation. Dawson immediately gives his men orders to kill Steve, who is on his way to the Phillipses. When Steve learns that Marian's father was forced to stay in the gang, he decides to infiltrate the gang by pretending to be a new recruit. At first, Dawson appears not to realize Steve's scheme and allows Phillips to bring him to meet him, but it soon becomes evident that Dawson plans to steal Steve's cattle money and then kill him. Steve and Phillips, however, have notified the sheriff of their plan beforehand and are aided by the officer and his posse, who engage Dawson's men in a gunfight. In the ensuing battle, Dawson and Phillips are killed, and the latter's past criminality remains unexposed. Having put an end to the Dawson gang, Steve resumes his courtship of Marian.

Film Details

Genre
Western
Release Date
Feb 5, 1937
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Columbia Pictures Corp. of California, Ltd.
Distribution Company
Columbia Pictures Corp. of California, Ltd.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
56m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
7 reels

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

Variety erroneously lists George Cooper as the film's photographer.