Red River Valley
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
B. Reeves Eason
Gene Autry
Smiley Burnette
Frances Grant
Boothe Howard
Jack Kennedy
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Hartley Moore, a banker in Red River Valley, schemes to sabotage the efforts of citizens to secure water rights in order to win water profits for himself. After five men are murdered while overseeing the completion of an irrigation system, Gene Autry accepts the dangerous job of "ditch rider," in charge of patrolling the ditches to prevent malfunction or sabotage. Steve Conway, who is working for Mary Baxter and her father at the Red River Land and Irrigation Company, joins Moore when he becomes jealous of Mary's attention towards Gene. Conway hires Bull and his gang to dynamite the water gates and kill the ditch riders. The first night on the job, Gene and his friend Frog are almost killed, but they apprehend Bull's henchmen and turn them over to the sheriff. Conway and Bull then rob the payroll, accuse Gene of the crime, and encourage Baxter's workmen to revolt by destroying the dam. Gene and Frog go after Bull, while Baxter and Mack, the railroad conductor, hold off the men at the dam until Gene arrives with Bull and the payroll. In a desperate attempt to escape, Conway and Moore steal the train, but they are killed as they ride into dynamite. Baxter successfully finishes the irrigation, after which, Gene and Mary ride off on their honeymoon.
Director
B. Reeves Eason
Cast
Gene Autry
Smiley Burnette
Frances Grant
Boothe Howard
Jack Kennedy
Champion, The Horse
Sam Flint
George Chesebro
Charles King
Eugene Jackson
Edward Hearn
Frank La Rue
Ken Cooper
Frank Marvin
Lane Chandler
Joe "chick" Cochin
Monty Cass
John "snake" Wilson
"silent" Cap Anderson
"cheyenne" Martin
Jack Rockwell
Crew
Gene Autry
Smiley Burnette
Harry Grey
Terry Kellum
Joseph H. Lewis
Dorrell Mcgowan
Stuart E. Mcgowan
William Nobles
Carl Pierson
Armand Schaefer
Sam H. Stept
Bill Stroback
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The viewed print was entitled Man of the Frontier. The film May have been re-titled when Republic released another film titled Red River Valley in 1941. Some songs listed in contemporary sources were not heard on the print viewed and May have been cut from the film prior to its release. According to publicity for the film, it was shot in January 1936 at the site of the Boulder Dam (which was later called Hoover Dam) above Yuma, AZ along the icy waters of the Colorado River. The publicity also relates that as the crew was shooting a scene of a train colliding with wagons, a wagon wheel reportedly was hurtled up in the air, and it crushed the camera. Two cameramen escaped unharmed. On January 27, 1936, Hollywood Reporter stated that fifty extras were used in the film.
Press kits boast of Autry's ability to draw and shoot a gun in one-third of a second, compared to the half-second time of an average cowboy. Part of the film's exploitation campaign was a postage-stamp-sized portrait of Autry with a gummed back. The film marks Grant's first leading role. Modern sources list additional players as: Lloyd Ingraham, Hank Bell, Earl Dwire, George Morrell, Chuck Baldra, Bob Burns and Jack Kirk.
