It's a common misconception that John Wayne, after his breakout role in John Ford's 1939 "Stagecoach," had him forever star in big-budgeted films. In fact, he was tied down to a lengthy contract to low-budget independent studio Republic Pictures. The studio recognized Wayne's box office appeal, however, and produced one of its more expensive Westerns in April 1940's "Dark Command." Republic spent $800,000 for the production, an unusually high amount for the studio.
One of Republic's first hires for the A-listed film was director Raoul Walsh, who ten years before slotted young actor Marion Morrison in his first major role in 1930's "The Big Trail." It was Walsh who had suggested for the former studio prop boy and USC college football player the stage name after Revolutionary War General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. For "Dark Command," Raoul, his second and last with Duke, said he put everybody into the movie, and he wasn't kidding. He secured Walter Pigeon as a loan-out to play William Cantrell, loosely based on the Civil War Confederate officer William Quantrill, whose rebel Raiders burned down the city of Lawrence, Kansas in 1863. Actress Claire Trevor, in her third role with Wayne and his co-star in "Stagecoach," was brought on board as Mary McCloud, torn between her long romance with Cantrell and the newly elected sheriff to Lawrence, Bob Seton (Wayne). Raoul also elevated Republic Pictures' B-actor Roy Rogers, 29, as Mary's younger brother Fletch. Majorie Main, the future Ma in the "Ma and Pa" series, played Cantrell's mother-even though she was only seven years older than Walter Pigeon. To add a dash of lighthearted comedy was "Gabby" Hayes, playing Wayne's sidekick "Doc" Grunch, an amateur doctor.
"It is the depth which makes "Dark Command" more than just another western," described film critic Andy Webb, "and whilst you get all the expected western elements and there are some brilliant action scenes, it is the conflicted character of Cantrell who makes the movie work." Pigeon plays the frustrated town school teacher who lost the sheriff's election to illiterate Seton. Once the Civil War arrives, he seeks revenge on the town that rejected him for head law enforcer. He gathers a group of the most unsavory men around and dresses them in rebel uniforms to carry out his mission, which is to exact revenge on the man who stole both his girl Mary and his sheriff position, Bob Seton.
Jeff Arnold noted how off-base the prominent thinking was that "The 1939 John Ford classic 'Stagecoach' made John Wayne a star. There would be no more quickie B-western films for him." Arnold points out "He was under contract at Republic, and did four of those one-hour Three Mesquiteers Westerns before 'Stagecoach' and four of them after it. He would go on making low- and mid-budget movies at Republic for years." The 'Mesquiteers' series begun in 1936 through 1943, consisting of 51 inexpensive Westerns. The series also showcased several future stars, including Rita Hayworth, Jennifer Jones, Carole Landis, George Montgomery and Roy Rogers, as well as silent movie star Louise Brooks and Noah Beery (Wallace's brother). Republic's contract with Wayne continued through 1945, which the studio loaned him out in bigger-budgeted films. From 1946 until the early 1950s Wayne contracted with Republic in a seven-picture deal that gave him the total freedom to free-lance. After Republic's contract expired, Wayne co-founded his own production company in 1952 called Batjac.
"Dark Command," was an enormous success for Republic, who realized capitalizing on Wayne after "Stagecoach's" box office bonanza was not a fluke. The movie was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Victor Young's Best Musical Score and John Mackay's Best Art Direction.
One of Republic's first hires for the A-listed film was director Raoul Walsh, who ten years before slotted young actor Marion Morrison in his first major role in 1930's "The Big Trail." It was Walsh who had suggested for the former studio prop boy and USC college football player the stage name after Revolutionary War General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. For "Dark Command," Raoul, his second and last with Duke, said he put everybody into the movie, and he wasn't kidding. He secured Walter Pigeon as a loan-out to play William Cantrell, loosely based on the Civil War Confederate officer William Quantrill, whose rebel Raiders burned down the city of Lawrence, Kansas in 1863. Actress Claire Trevor, in her third role with Wayne and his co-star in "Stagecoach," was brought on board as Mary McCloud, torn between her long romance with Cantrell and the newly elected sheriff to Lawrence, Bob Seton (Wayne). Raoul also elevated Republic Pictures' B-actor Roy Rogers, 29, as Mary's younger brother Fletch. Majorie Main, the future Ma in the "Ma and Pa" series, played Cantrell's mother-even though she was only seven years older than Walter Pigeon. To add a dash of lighthearted comedy was "Gabby" Hayes, playing Wayne's sidekick "Doc" Grunch, an amateur doctor.
"It is the depth which makes "Dark Command" more than just another western," described film critic Andy Webb, "and whilst you get all the expected western elements and there are some brilliant action scenes, it is the conflicted character of Cantrell who makes the movie work." Pigeon plays the frustrated town school teacher who lost the sheriff's election to illiterate Seton. Once the Civil War arrives, he seeks revenge on the town that rejected him for head law enforcer. He gathers a group of the most unsavory men around and dresses them in rebel uniforms to carry out his mission, which is to exact revenge on the man who stole both his girl Mary and his sheriff position, Bob Seton.
Jeff Arnold noted how off-base the prominent thinking was that "The 1939 John Ford classic 'Stagecoach' made John Wayne a star. There would be no more quickie B-western films for him." Arnold points out "He was under contract at Republic, and did four of those one-hour Three Mesquiteers Westerns before 'Stagecoach' and four of them after it. He would go on making low- and mid-budget movies at Republic for years." The 'Mesquiteers' series begun in 1936 through 1943, consisting of 51 inexpensive Westerns. The series also showcased several future stars, including Rita Hayworth, Jennifer Jones, Carole Landis, George Montgomery and Roy Rogers, as well as silent movie star Louise Brooks and Noah Beery (Wallace's brother). Republic's contract with Wayne continued through 1945, which the studio loaned him out in bigger-budgeted films. From 1946 until the early 1950s Wayne contracted with Republic in a seven-picture deal that gave him the total freedom to free-lance. After Republic's contract expired, Wayne co-founded his own production company in 1952 called Batjac.
"Dark Command," was an enormous success for Republic, who realized capitalizing on Wayne after "Stagecoach's" box office bonanza was not a fluke. The movie was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Victor Young's Best Musical Score and John Mackay's Best Art Direction.