The Fighting Marshal (1931)

58 or 63 mins | Western | 18 December 1931

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HISTORY

Modern sources include the following in the cast: Ethan Laidlaw, Lee Shumway, Blackie Whiteford and Blackjack Ward. ...

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Modern sources include the following in the cast: Ethan Laidlaw, Lee Shumway, Blackie Whiteford and Blackjack Ward.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Film Daily
28 Feb 1932
p. 10
Variety
12 Apr 1932
p. 15
DETAILS
Release Date:
18 December 1931
Production Date:
9 Oct--15 Oct 1931
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Columbia Pictures Corp.
25 November 1931
LP2654
Physical Properties:
Sound
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
58 or 63
Country:
United States
SYNOPSIS

Tim Benton, a model prisoner, who was sentenced for killing his father, is pardoned when Joe Stevens and Bill Ainsley, the two men whose testimony convicted him, confess that their testimony was bought by John Sebastian, Tim's father's partner. Before the pardon arrives, however, Tim and killer Red Larkin escape from prison and hide in an isolated house. Tim tells Red that Sebastian wanted his father dead so that he could control Benton's Silver City mine. Because Tim believes the mine should belong to him, he plans to rob its $20,000 payroll and use the money to prove his innocence. The two men are discovered by Bob Dinsmore, the new marshal of Silver City, but Red knocks him unconscious and kills him. Although he believes that the marshal is only unconscious, Tim decides to impersonate him. The townspeople are impressed with the new sheriff, especially Alice Wheeler, whose father, Clint, is the supervisor of the Sebastian mine. Stevens and Ainsley arrive unexpectedly in town and Tim arrests them to prevent them from revealing his real identity. Then Tim, who has fallen in love with Alice, backs out of the plan to rob the payroll with Red. In response, Red frames Tim for Dinsmore's murder. During the ensuing robbery, Stevens and Ainsley shoot Red, and Tim captures them. With the two criminals in jail, Red admits to Dinsmore's murder and Tim's name is cleared, leaving him free to be united with ...

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Tim Benton, a model prisoner, who was sentenced for killing his father, is pardoned when Joe Stevens and Bill Ainsley, the two men whose testimony convicted him, confess that their testimony was bought by John Sebastian, Tim's father's partner. Before the pardon arrives, however, Tim and killer Red Larkin escape from prison and hide in an isolated house. Tim tells Red that Sebastian wanted his father dead so that he could control Benton's Silver City mine. Because Tim believes the mine should belong to him, he plans to rob its $20,000 payroll and use the money to prove his innocence. The two men are discovered by Bob Dinsmore, the new marshal of Silver City, but Red knocks him unconscious and kills him. Although he believes that the marshal is only unconscious, Tim decides to impersonate him. The townspeople are impressed with the new sheriff, especially Alice Wheeler, whose father, Clint, is the supervisor of the Sebastian mine. Stevens and Ainsley arrive unexpectedly in town and Tim arrests them to prevent them from revealing his real identity. Then Tim, who has fallen in love with Alice, backs out of the plan to rob the payroll with Red. In response, Red frames Tim for Dinsmore's murder. During the ensuing robbery, Stevens and Ainsley shoot Red, and Tim captures them. With the two criminals in jail, Red admits to Dinsmore's murder and Tim's name is cleared, leaving him free to be united with Alice.

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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.