Desert Bandit (1941)

56 mins | Western | 24 May 1941

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HISTORY

The working title of this film, Kansas Cyclone, was the release title of the Don Barry's next picture. According to a 25 Oct 40 HR news item, Doris Schroeder was signed to do a treatment for the film, but her contribution to the completed picture has not been confirmed. HR also noted that when Republic placed Warners contract player Marilyn Merrick under contract, her name was changed to Lynn Merrick, as she is billed in this picture. The film marked the screen debut of actor Tom Ewell. Although MPHPD release charts list the film's release date as 24 May 1941, a HR news item reported that the Hitching Post Theatre, a Hollywood motion picture theater that played westerns only, would present the picture's world premiere on 12 Jun 1941. Modern sources include Curley Dresden, Jack Montgomery, Jack O'Shea and Pascale Perry in the cast. ...

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The working title of this film, Kansas Cyclone, was the release title of the Don Barry's next picture. According to a 25 Oct 40 HR news item, Doris Schroeder was signed to do a treatment for the film, but her contribution to the completed picture has not been confirmed. HR also noted that when Republic placed Warners contract player Marilyn Merrick under contract, her name was changed to Lynn Merrick, as she is billed in this picture. The film marked the screen debut of actor Tom Ewell. Although MPHPD release charts list the film's release date as 24 May 1941, a HR news item reported that the Hitching Post Theatre, a Hollywood motion picture theater that played westerns only, would present the picture's world premiere on 12 Jun 1941. Modern sources include Curley Dresden, Jack Montgomery, Jack O'Shea and Pascale Perry in the cast.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
31 May 1941
---
Daily Variety
13 Jun 1941
---
Film Daily
29 May 1941
p. 10
Hollywood Reporter
25 Oct 1940
p. 2
Hollywood Reporter
7 Apr 1941
p. 6
Hollywood Reporter
11 Apr 1941
p. 8
Hollywood Reporter
25 Apr 1941
p. 10
Hollywood Reporter
11 Jun 1941
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
13 Jun 1941
p. 9
Motion Picture Herald
31 May 1941
p. 40
Variety
28 May 1941
p. 18
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Asst dir
PRODUCER
Assoc prod
WRITERS
Orig story
PHOTOGRAPHY
FILM EDITOR
Film ed
MUSIC
Mus dir
PRODUCTION MISC
Prod mgr
DETAILS
Alternate Title:
Kansas Cyclone
Release Date:
24 May 1941
Production Date:
9 Apr--late Apr 1941
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Republic Pictures Corp.
24 May 1941
LP10547
Physical Properties:
Sound
RCA Sound System
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
56
Length(in feet):
5,026
Length(in reels):
6
Country:
United States
PCA No:
7296
Passed by NBR:
Yes
SYNOPSIS

Bob Crandall, a corporal in the Texas Rangers, is pleased when his friend, Tim Martin, the brother of Bob's sweetheart Sue, is also appointed to the rangers on the same day that Tim pays off the mortgage of his ranch. The mortgage is held by banker Hatfield, the secret leader of a smuggling gang run by saloon owner Largo, who is disappointed to lose the ranch, as it lies along the Texas-Mexico border. Tim confides in Bob that he got the money for the mortgage by briefly working for Largo, but Bob tells him to put the past behind him and become a good ranger. That night, however, as Tim is riding patrol alone, he is told by Hawk, one of Largo's men, that Largo is injured and needs his help. After Tim leaves his post, he is ambushed by Hawk, while the rest of the smugglers attempt to get a wagonload of guns across the border. Bob and the other rangers stop the wagon, and the injured driver curses Hawk, who told him that the ranger on patrol had been bought off to insure the shipment's safety. Tim is taken to ranger headquarters, where he refuses to answer Captain Banning's questions about his complicity. Bob visits Tim when he is sent to jail to be held for trial, but after Bob leaves, Sheriff Warde, who is one of Hatfield's stooges, shoots Tim and makes it look as if the young ranger was trying to escape with a gun slipped to him by Bob. Banning dishonorably discharges him, and even Sue believes that Bob is responsible for Tim's death. Soon after, Bob joins ...

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Bob Crandall, a corporal in the Texas Rangers, is pleased when his friend, Tim Martin, the brother of Bob's sweetheart Sue, is also appointed to the rangers on the same day that Tim pays off the mortgage of his ranch. The mortgage is held by banker Hatfield, the secret leader of a smuggling gang run by saloon owner Largo, who is disappointed to lose the ranch, as it lies along the Texas-Mexico border. Tim confides in Bob that he got the money for the mortgage by briefly working for Largo, but Bob tells him to put the past behind him and become a good ranger. That night, however, as Tim is riding patrol alone, he is told by Hawk, one of Largo's men, that Largo is injured and needs his help. After Tim leaves his post, he is ambushed by Hawk, while the rest of the smugglers attempt to get a wagonload of guns across the border. Bob and the other rangers stop the wagon, and the injured driver curses Hawk, who told him that the ranger on patrol had been bought off to insure the shipment's safety. Tim is taken to ranger headquarters, where he refuses to answer Captain Banning's questions about his complicity. Bob visits Tim when he is sent to jail to be held for trial, but after Bob leaves, Sheriff Warde, who is one of Hatfield's stooges, shoots Tim and makes it look as if the young ranger was trying to escape with a gun slipped to him by Bob. Banning dishonorably discharges him, and even Sue believes that Bob is responsible for Tim's death. Soon after, Bob joins Largo's gang, and Sue is told by Hatfield that Tim leased the ranch to him. Sue is mystified but allows Hatfield to fill the barn with supplies. Largo gets Bob to retrieve the confiscated shipment of guns from ranger headquarters, and although Bob is captured, he is released by Banning, who did not really discharge Bob and is his contact during his undercover work with the gang. Sue and her cook, T-Bone Jones, discover that Hatfield's crates are filled with guns and ammunition, but Bob releases them after they are captured by the gang. The nervous Hatfield and Largo decide to move the contraband across the border that night, and while the rangers, alerted by Sue, chase the gang, Bob forces Warde to confess that he killed Tim on Hatfield's orders. Meanwhile, Hatfield attempts to escape with the gang's money, and Largo, realizing that he is being double-crossed, shoots the banker. Largo is then appprehended by Bob, and later, at a celebration, Sue, Bob and the other rangers enjoy a meal prepared by T-Bone.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.