Dark Command
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Movie Reviews of Dark Command
Movie Review: Popular Wayne Civil War -Era 'Western' Still Shines!
Summary: 4 Stars
"Dark Command" is a rip-roaring, entertaining 1940 John Wayne western with plenty of excitement, romance, and comedy, and it offers one of his most engaging pre-WWII performances, as illiterate but straight-shooting Texan 'Bob Seton', wooing Claire Trevor while defending Lawrence, Kansas as the Civil War erupts.
The film is significant in Wayne's career, as it acknowledged his emergence as a major star by the studio (Republic Pictures) who had produced the bulk of his 'quickie' westerns over the previous decade (in their previous incarnation, 'Lone Star' films). With the success of John Ford's "Stagecoach", Wayne's value to the young studio increased dramatically, as a commodity that could be 'loaned out' to major studios for a tidy profit, but without 'quality' Wayne films of their own, his 'bankability' wouldn't last, so Republic mounted a major production, with a top director (Warner's Raoul Walsh, who had helmed the Duke's ill-fated 'starring' debut, "The Big Trail", nearly a decade earlier), a first-class cast (including Trevor, in her third pairing with Wayne in less than two years, and MGM star Walter Pidgeon), and a terrific screenplay (based on a story by respected author W.R. Burnett). Wisely including their most popular character actor, Gabby Hayes, for comic relief, and rising star Roy Rogers (who, surprisingly, doesn't sing!) in support, the end result would not only build upon Wayne's rising status as a major star, but would give the studio credibility within the industry as more than a 'B' picture factory.
While the history covered in "Dark Command" is largely fabricated (with infamous mercenary William Quantrill reinvented as a more urbane, if equally dangerous 'William Cantrell', portrayed by Pidgeon), Walsh never lets the 'facts' interfere with the action, and the end result certainly delivers!
Definitely a 'keeper'!
Movie Review: John Wayne Western
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a very good early John Wayne Western, co-starring Walter Pidgeon as the villian and reprising his co-starring role with Claire Trevor in "Stagecoach". It plays loosely with pre-Civil War and Civil War Kansas, but on balance provides a good history lesson for those who don't know anything about the era. Pidgeon plays Will Cantrell, a thinly disguised alias for William Quantrill, leader of Quantrill's Raiders who, loosely allied w/the Confederacy, terrorized Kansas. Roy Rogers is also featured in the only film in which he and Wayne appeared together and also look for George "Gabby" Hayes, in one of his classic sidekick roles.Movie Review: Interesting Early John Wayne Western
Summary: 4 Stars
Having seen many John Wayne movies over the years, I thought Dark Command was well done. The time period for the movie is a little obscure, Kansas during the Civil War, but the plot is solid for a Western with plenty of action. Plenty of other reviewers cover the details of the movie, so I won't, but I will mention that the cast includes several strong actors in addition to Wayne. If you enjoy John Wayne's early films, like Stagecoach, then I think you will likely enjoy Dark Command. It is well worth watching.Movie Review: Rare classic from John Wayne
Summary: 4 Stars
Dark Command is a very good story with John Wayne playing another tough guy with some fun to his character. Wayne is an illiterate cowboy with moral fiber who runs for sherrif. This puts him at odds with the town teacher and eventually the town itself. Everything comes to a head when the town the teacher and Wayne fight it out at the end.
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