Border Devils is a 1932 pre-Code American Western black and white sound film directed by William Nigh and starring Harry Carey, Kathleen Collins, and Gabby Hayes.[1] The film is Collins's last role and her only sound film.[citation needed]
| Border Devils | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | William Nigh |
| Written by | Harry L. Fraser |
| Produced by | Louis Weiss George M. Merrick Alfred T. Mannon[1] |
| Starring | Harry Carey Kathleen Collins Gabby Hayes |
| Cinematography | William H. Dietz |
| Edited by | Holbrook Todd |
Production companies | Supreme Features, Inc.[1] |
| Distributed by | State Rights |
Release date |
|
Running time | 63 or 65 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
editA man, Jim Gray, is wrongfully put in jail; he escapes to prove his innocence and reveal the real criminal. In the process, Gray discovers a second criminal who has been working behind the scenes with the more obvious villain.[2]
Cast
edit- Harry Carey as Jim Gray
- Kathleen Collins as Marcia Brandon
- Gabby Hayes as Dude Sanders
- Niles Welch as Tom Hope
- Olive Carey as Ethel Denham
- Albert J. Smith as Inspector Bell
- Merrill McCormick as Jose Lopez
- Art Mix as Bud Brandon
- Tetsu Komai as The General
Production
editScript
editThe film was written by Harry P. Crist ( credited for "script and continuity' under this pen name is the American director Harry Fraser[3]). The story was based upon the novel Dead Man's Shoes,[4] by Murray Leinster.[3]
Shooting
editAccording to a contemporary issue of The Film Daily, certain scenes were filmed in Palm Springs, California.[1]
Cast
editThe film features Gabby Hayes in one of his earliest credited roles, a sidekick figure that would become his signature character.[5]
Release
editBorder Devils was theatrically released in the United States on April 4, 1932.[1] The film was released on DVD in August 2011 by Alpha Video.[6]
Themes
editThis film has been noted for the unexpected presence in a Western, of Yellow Peril themes, embodied in the character of the villain, a mysterious 'oriental' criminal figure known as the General.[3][7][5]
Commentators generally underline the weight of the original novel, a typical Leinster tale, in this adaptation: "the massive conspiracy that figures in his sci-fi, the shifting identity of the hero, and the generally peripatetic nature of the tale as our cowboy commandos shuttle hither and yon like horsing lot attendant."[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e The AFI Catalog of Feature Films 1893-1993:Border Devils
- ^ Erickson, Hal. "Border Devils (1932)". AllMovie. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
- ^ a b c "» A Western Movie Review by Dan Stumpf: BORDER DEVILS (1932)". Retrieved March 20, 2023.
- ^ Stallings, Billee J.; Evans, Jo-an J. (August 12, 2011). Murray Leinster: The Life and Works. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-8715-8.
- ^ a b "Border Devils (1932)". The Constant Bleeder. November 22, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
- ^ "Border Devils (1932) On DVD". www.lovingtheclassics.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
- ^ "Border Devils (1932) starring Harry Carey, Kathleen Collins, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Niles Welch, Olive Carey, Albert J. Smith, Tetsu Komai directed by William Nigh Movie Review". www.themoviescene.co.uk. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
- ^ "» A Western Movie Review by Dan Stumpf: BORDER DEVILS (1932)". Retrieved March 29, 2023.