The Fighting Trooper (1934)

56 or 63 mins | Drama | 1934

Director:

Ray Taylor

Writer:

Forrest Sheldon

Producer:

Maurice H. Conn

Cinematographer:

Edgar Lyons

Editor:

Ted Bellinger

Production Company:

Ambassador Pictures, Inc.
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HISTORY

The title frame of this film reads, "James Oliver Curwood's The Fighting Trooper." According to an Aug 1934 HR news item, Adrian Johnson "polished" the film's script. The exact nature of his contribution is not known. A FD news item announced that location shooting took place at Lake Arrowhead, CA. According to publicity articles, Maynard and other male cast and crew members were recruited to help put out a forest fire while they were filming on location. Modern sources add the following cast members: Milburn Morante, Gordon DeMain , George Morrell and Merrill McCormack . ...

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The title frame of this film reads, "James Oliver Curwood's The Fighting Trooper." According to an Aug 1934 HR news item, Adrian Johnson "polished" the film's script. The exact nature of his contribution is not known. A FD news item announced that location shooting took place at Lake Arrowhead, CA. According to publicity articles, Maynard and other male cast and crew members were recruited to help put out a forest fire while they were filming on location. Modern sources add the following cast members: Milburn Morante, Gordon DeMain , George Morrell and Merrill McCormack .

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GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
24 Nov 1934
p
Film Daily
23 Oct 1934
p. 7
Film Daily
21 Nov 1934
p. 11
Hollywood Reporter
31 Aug 1934
p. 8
Variety
8 Jan 1935
p. 39
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTOR
PRODUCER
Maurice H. Conn
Prod
WRITER
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photog
FILM EDITOR
Film ed
SET DECORATOR
Set des
SOUND
Sd eng
SOURCES
LITERARY
Suggested by the short story "Footprints" by James Oliver Curwood (publication undetermined).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHOR
DETAILS
Alternate Title:
James Oliver Curwood's Fighting Trooper
Premiere Information:
New York opening: 1 Jan 1935
Production Date:

Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Ambassador Pictures, Inc.
20 November 1934
LP5320
Physical Properties:
Sound
Balsley & Phillips Recording System
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
56 or 63
Length(in reels):
6
Country:
United States
SYNOPSIS

After his superior officer is murdered while tracking suspected killer and fur thief Andre La Farge, Burke, a new North West Mounted Police recruit, vows to bring La Farge to justice. With his fellow trooper, Blackie, Burke poses as a trapper in the local village, where store owner Jim Hatfield, who has been robbed repeatedly by La Farge, is offering a reward for the fugitive's capture. As Burke and Hatfield discuss the reward in the village saloon, an Indian hurls a knife with a threatening note signed "La Farge" at them. Burke and Blackie follow the Indian and, after reading his smoke signal, decide to stake out Hatfield's trading store that night. While hiding, Burke and Blackie observe La Farge, his sister Diane, and their gang ride up and break into the store. Before La Farge takes Hatfield's money at gunpoint, Burke fires his gun and breaks up the robbery. During the gang's getaway, Burke is shot by Hatfield's men and is rescued by La Farge. While Burke is recuperating at La Farge's mountain hideout, Blackie shows up and is caught by La Farge's men. Although Burke diverts suspicion by telling La Farge that Blackie has been tracking him for months, he fakes killing his friend to protect their undercover operation. La Farge, however, knows that Blackie is still alive and insists on helping Burke bury him. While in a coffin, Blackie surprises La Farge, who is then knocked out, put in the coffin and raced down the mountain by Burke. In his haste to flee La Farge's men, Burke loses control of the cart, which tumbles down ...

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After his superior officer is murdered while tracking suspected killer and fur thief Andre La Farge, Burke, a new North West Mounted Police recruit, vows to bring La Farge to justice. With his fellow trooper, Blackie, Burke poses as a trapper in the local village, where store owner Jim Hatfield, who has been robbed repeatedly by La Farge, is offering a reward for the fugitive's capture. As Burke and Hatfield discuss the reward in the village saloon, an Indian hurls a knife with a threatening note signed "La Farge" at them. Burke and Blackie follow the Indian and, after reading his smoke signal, decide to stake out Hatfield's trading store that night. While hiding, Burke and Blackie observe La Farge, his sister Diane, and their gang ride up and break into the store. Before La Farge takes Hatfield's money at gunpoint, Burke fires his gun and breaks up the robbery. During the gang's getaway, Burke is shot by Hatfield's men and is rescued by La Farge. While Burke is recuperating at La Farge's mountain hideout, Blackie shows up and is caught by La Farge's men. Although Burke diverts suspicion by telling La Farge that Blackie has been tracking him for months, he fakes killing his friend to protect their undercover operation. La Farge, however, knows that Blackie is still alive and insists on helping Burke bury him. While in a coffin, Blackie surprises La Farge, who is then knocked out, put in the coffin and raced down the mountain by Burke. In his haste to flee La Farge's men, Burke loses control of the cart, which tumbles down a hillside, spilling La Farge. Burke takes La Farge to a cabin, which turns out to be a hideout for Hatfield and his men, who have just kidnapped Diane as part of a scheme to trap La Farge. Through a cabin window, Burke, who has turned La Farge over to Hatfield, overhears Hatfield and another man plotting La Farge's and Diane's murder and confessing to killing La Farge's trapper father and Burke's superior officer. After freeing La Farge and Diane, Burke overwhelms Hatfield and his men with La Farge and Blackie's help. Cleared of all suspicion, La Farge and Diane return to run the trading store, while Burke is promoted and assigned to a nearby post.

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

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