Fighting Man of the Plains - Former bandit Jim Dancer becomes marshal of a Kansas town and cleans up the criminal element--with help from an old pal, Jesse James.
Fighting Man of the Plains (1949)
Director: Edwin L. Marin
Writers: Frank Gruber
Stars: Randolph Scott, Bill Williams, Victor Jory
Genre: Western
Country: United States
Language: English
Release Date: November 16, 1949 (United States)
Filming Location: Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Synopsis:
In August 1863, Jim Dancer, searching for his brother's killer, rides with Quantrell's raiders against Lawrence, Kansas. Yancey, one of the guerrillas most responsible for the band's bad name and reputation, accosts Evelyn Slocum. Yancey tell Dancer that Evelyn's father is the man who killed Dancer's brother, and Dancer takes revenge by killing him. But the man he is searching for is really the dead man's brother, Bert Slocum. When the Civil War ends in 1865, Dancer becomes a fugitive, hunted by Slocum and George Cummings, a detective for the Pleasanton Agency. Cummings finally catches Dancer, and it is only then that Dancer learns he killed the wrong man. While crossing the river on a makeshift ferry, Cummings is accidentally killed. When they are found, Dancer introduces himself as Cummings, saying the dead man was Jim Dancer. As Cummings, Dancer becomes a track-worker at Lanyard, Kansas. While the town is celebrating the arrival of the first cattle-drive herd from Texas, one of the cowboys menaces Evelyn Slocum, and Dancer stops him in a gun duel. The townsmen named Dancer Town Marshal in place of the cowardly Marshal. Persuaded by Dave Oldham and Florence Peel, both of whom know his true identity, Dancer accepts the job. But Bert Slocum is still after him, and the town's crooked justice-of-the-peace and district attorney aren't overly fond of the new Marshal and his law-and-order ways.
Reviews:
When you have Randolph Scott, you don't need much else, but "Fighting Man of the Plains" has everything.
Frank Gruber was a darn good writer of often very gritty stories. He wrote more than one story about Jesse James, a character who figures in this movie, too.
There is a rough realism in his stories, and that has translated beautifully in this film, thanks in part to Gruber's also writing the screenplay, and thanks to excellent directing by Edwin L. Marin, and thanks especially to a superlative cast.
One mark of a well-written and -directed film is the realism of the interaction of minor characters.
Another mark of a great movie is the number of speaking and participating characters, even with relatively small parts.
In "Fighting Man of the Plains," watch the anonymous characters, such as the blacksmith who's asked for directions, and the bartender who passes on messages and serves meals. In lesser films, they might get to nod or maybe point, but in a great film, such as this one, they speak and participate in what's going on.
Look for, for example, the great John Hamilton, and the great Paul Fix as a sleazy, vile character. Watch, too, for such greats as Lou Nova and Kermit Maynard. And not one of them gets screen credit! This is a great movie, extremely well done, and I urge you to see it.
- written by "morrisonhimself" on IMDb.com
Also Known As (AKA):
(original title) Fighting Man of the Plains
Austria Die Stadt der rauhen Männer
Belgium Burgeroorlog(Flemish)
Belgium Guerre civile(French)
Brazil O Lutador
Canada Fighting Man of the Plains(English)
Denmark Den lovløse sherif
Finland Preerian valloittajat
France L'Homme de Kansas City
Greece Koursaroi ton pediadon(transliterated title)
Greece O aetos me to asimenio pistoli(reissue title)
Italy L'inafferrabile
Japan 平原の勇者(Japanese)
Mexico El justiciero
Portugal O Justiceiro
Romania Luptătorul din câmpii
Spain El último hombre del valle
Sweden Västerns gerilla
United Kingdom Fighting Man of the Plains
United States Fighting Man of the Plains
West Germany Die Stadt der rauhen Männer
West Germany Die Rache des Jesse James
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