FRONTIER MARSHALL
US, 1939, 71 minutes, Black and white.
Randolph Scott, Nancy Kelly, Cesar Romero, Binnie Barnes, John Caradine, Eddie Foy Jr, Ward Bond, Lon Chaney Jr.
Directed by Allan Dwan.
Frontier Marshall is a brief film of 1939 with Randolph Scott as Wyatt Earp (who had died in Los Angeles just over 10 years earlier). This is a story of 1880, the opening up of the Arizona silver mines, business in Tombstone, stagecoach businesses, saloons and, eventually, the bank.
The Wyatt Earp story, his friendship with Dr Holliday (here Doc Halliday) and the gunfight at the OK is well-known from later films in the 1950s, Hour of the Gun, The Gunfight at the OK Corral, and the films of the 1990s, Tombstone with Kurt Russell and Wyatt Earp with Kevin Costner.
This film is fairly basic, Wyatt Earp being offered the job of Sheriff after his handling of the crisis with a drunken Indian. However, he is bashed by some of the henchmen of Carter, John Caradine, who is a saloon and the owner and organiser of stagecoach robberies. Earp becomes friendly with Doc Halliday, encouraging Doc’s fiancee from the past, Nancy Kelly, to stay and look after him. In the meantime, Gerry, the saloon dancer, Binnie Barnes, is in love with Doc and jealous of Sarah. This all comes together when the little son of the Mexican bartender is shot, Sarah acting as a nurse, Doc operating with difficulty, Gerry helping.
The OK Corral incident is rather brief, Earp handling it single-handedly.
Cesar Romero is a more sympathetic Doc and is given a back story of practising medicine before he became a killer.
Of interest, the popular comedian, Eddie Foy, is portrayed by his son, Eddie Foy Jr. The Foys were portrayed, with Bob Hope in the central role, in The Seven Little Foys in 1950.
Randolph Scott, who was to make so many westerns in the next 20+ years, is a strong and sturdy Wyatt Earp.
1. A Wyatt Earp, Tombstone story? 1930s interpretation? The audience familiar with the characters, Tombstone, the Gunfight at the’s okay Corralled?
2. A brief film, black and white photography, the cast, led by Randolph Scott? Character actors?
3. The initial information, Arizona, the pioneer of the silver strike, the flooding in of diggers, the metropolis, turning into Tombstone, lawless, the fearful sheriff, gunfights, Stagecoach robberies? The end with the sign of the bank going up and becoming respectable?
4. Carter, his colleague, setting up in business, the saloon, robbing the Stagecoach? Getting Indian Charlie drunk, his going on a shooting spree? The sheriff afraid? Wyatt Earp visiting, hearing the noise, coming down from his room, the gun, the confrontation with Charlie, the shooting, dragging him out, not dead? His being taken, bashed by Curley? His returning, talking to the mayor, accepting the job of Marshall?
5. Life in Tombstone, the gamblers, the saloon, Jerry and her singing, the dancing girls? Card games, Gerry giving a cheating signal? The arrival of Doc Halliday, his reputation, cough, the challenge?
6. Doc, sick, his reputation as a killer, Jerry attracted to him, his friendship with Wyatt? Sarah and her search for years? His wanting her to leave?
7. Eddie Foy, his reputation as a comedian, travel and the West, his arrival, expectations, taken to the other saloon at gunpoint, his performance? Wyatt rescuing him? Making Pringle dance on stage? Carter being upset? Foy going to the proper saloon? The shootings?
8. Doc and Sarah, Jerry and her jealousy? Earp urging Sarah to stay? Doc’s love for her?
9. Earp accompanying the Stagecoach, the bullion, Gerry overhearing after confronting the, letting Carter know? Doc going on the stage? Gerry upset?
10. The ambush, the shooting, Carter’s death?
11. Doc and his being wounded, the return, Sarah and her memories, Doc and his medical work, saving lives? Sarah caring for him, getting Jerry to help?
12. The shootout, Pablo being shot, Sarah wanting to save him, Doc and the operation, getting the equipment?
13. The buildup to the OK corral, Earp taking on the killers single-handed, his manoeuvres, the shooting?
14. Doc’s death, burial? Jerry leaving because the town was come becoming respectable? Sarah saying staying to help?
15. Passing Boot Hill on the way out? The Western heritage of Tombstone and the beginning of its legends?
