Dark Command poster

Dark Command( 1940)

TV-MADramaRomanceWestern
63%
User
Score

A drama of undying love.

Overview

When transplanted Texan Bob Seton arrives in Lawrence, Kansas he finds much to like about the place, especially Mary McCloud, daughter of the local banker. Politics is in the air however. It's just prior to the civil war and there is already a sharp division in the Territory as to whether it will remain slave-free. When he gets the opportunity to run for marshal, Seton finds himself running against the respected local schoolteacher, William Cantrell. Not is what it seems however. While acting as the upstanding citizen in public, Cantrell is dangerously ambitious and is prepared to do anything to make his mark, and his fortune, on the Territory. When he loses the race for marshal, he forms a group of raiders who run guns into the territory and rob and terrorize settlers throughout the territory. Eventually donning Confederate uniforms, it is left to Seton and the good citizens of Lawrence to face Cantrell and his raiders in one final clash.

    Top Billed Cast

    1. cast image

      Claire Trevor

      Miss Mary McCloud

    2. cast image

      John Wayne

      Bob Seton

    3. cast image

      Walter Pidgeon

      William 'Will' Cantrell

    4. cast image

      Roy Rogers

      Fletcher 'Fletch' McCloud

    5. cast image

      George 'Gabby' Hayes

      Andrew 'Doc' Grunch

    6. cast image

      Porter Hall

      Angus McCloud

    7. cast image

      Marjorie Main

      Mrs. Cantrell / Mrs. Adams

    8. cast image

      Raymond Walburn

      Judge Buckner

    9. cast image

      Joe Sawyer

      Bushropp

    10. cast image

      Helen MacKellar

      Mrs. Hale

    11. cast image

      J. Farrell MacDonald

      Dave

    12. cast image

      Trevor Bardette

      Mr. Hale

    13. cast image

      Ernie Adams

      Townsman

    14. cast image

      Richard Alexander

      Phil - Guerrilla Guarding Seton

    15. cast image

      Earl Askam

      Guerrilla

    16. cast image

      Hank Bell

      Townsman

    17. cast image

      Ray Bennett

      Guerrilla

    18. cast image

      Stanley Blystone

      Tough

    19. cast image

      Ed Brady

      Juror

    20. cast image

      Al Bridge

      Slave Trader

    21. cast image

      Roy Bucko

      Brawler

    22. cast image

      Nora Bush

      Townswoman

    23. cast image

      Budd Buster

      Townsman

    24. cast image

      Yakima Canutt

      Townsman on Balcony

    25. cast image

      Bob Card

      Townsman

    26. cast image

      Horace B. Carpenter

      Townsman

    27. cast image

      Burr Caruth

      Minister

    28. cast image

      Noble 'Kid' Chissell

      Guerrilla

    29. cast image

      Edmund Cobb

      Juror #3

    30. cast image

      Tex Cooper

      Townsman

    31. cast image

      Harry Cording

      Angry Townsman in Bank

    32. cast image

      Bobby Crandall

      Child

    33. cast image

      Marvin Davis

      Child

    34. cast image

      Art Dillard

      Guerrilla

    35. cast image

      John Dilson

      Town Leader

    36. cast image

      Edward Earle

      Town Leader

    37. cast image

      Betty Farrington

      Townswoman

    38. cast image

      Robert Ferrero

      Child

    39. cast image

      Joseph Forte

      Townsman

    40. cast image

      Mildred Gover

      Ellie - Mary's Maid

    41. cast image

      Herman Hack

      Townsman

    42. cast image

      Frank Hagney

      Tough Yankee #2

    43. cast image

      Al Haskell

      Townsman

    44. cast image

      Edward Hearn

      Jury Foreman

    45. cast image

      Howard Hickman

      Southerner Orating for Votes

    46. cast image

      Lloyd Ingraham

      Townsman

    47. cast image

      Jack Kirk

      Guerrilla

    48. cast image

      Ethan Laidlaw

      Guerrilla

    49. cast image

      Mike Lally

      Townsman

    50. cast image

      Tom London

      Messenger

    51. cast image

      Walter Long

      Townsman

    52. cast image

      Jack Low

      Juror #2

    53. cast image

      Herbert MacGregor

      Child

    54. cast image

      Cactus Mack

      Townsman

    55. cast image

      Nelson McDowell

      Farmer

    56. cast image

      Joe McGuinn

      Guerrilla

    57. cast image

      John Merton

      Cantrell Man

    58. cast image

      Jack Montgomery

      Guerrilla

    59. cast image

      Dolly Nardon

      Child

    60. cast image

      Lawrence Osman

      Child

    61. cast image

      Russell Palmer

      Child

    62. cast image

      Harvard Peck

      Child

    63. cast image

      Dick Rich

      Dental Patient #1

    64. cast image

      Lee Riggin

      Child

    65. cast image

      Jack Rockwell

      Assassin of Angus McCloud

    66. cast image

      Clinton Rosemond

      Tom - McClouds' Servant

    67. cast image

      Tom Smith

      Posse Rider

    68. cast image

      Harry Strang

      Man About to Withdraw Money from Bank

    69. cast image

      Glenn Strange

      Tough Yankee #1

    70. cast image

      Bob Sáenz

      Guerrilla

    71. cast image

      Hal Taliaferro

      Angry Townsman in Bank

    72. cast image

      Al Taylor

      Guerrilla

    73. cast image

      Ferris Taylor

      Banker

    74. cast image

      Ernest Tobey

      Child

    75. cast image

      Ethel Wales

      Townswoman

    76. cast image

      Cecil Weston

      Townswoman

    77. cast image

      Henry Wills

      Guerrilla

    78. cast image

      Harry Woods

      Man in Fight with Seton

    79. cast image

      Bob Woodward

      Yankee

    80. cast image

      Michael Miller

      Child

    Social

    Review 1Discussion

    A review by John Chard

    7
    Written by John Chard on Sun Apr 26 2020
    On to Kansas we go. Loosely based around a true story, Dark Command sees John Wayne play Bob Seton, an uneducated cowboy from Texas who wins around the people of Lawrence, Kansas to become their town Marshall just prior to the outbreak of the civil war. This angers the previously respectful town teacher, Will Cantrell (Walter Pidgeon), who after being beaten on the vote by Seton, forms guerrilla groups to raid, pillage and gun run around the Kansas countryside. Seton, now ensconced in the ways of the law, sets about crushing Cantrell and his unfeeling raiders, but there is also another matt...

    Media

    Videos 1Backdrops 2Posters 18

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    Facts

    Status

    Released

    Original Language

    English

    Budget

    -

    Revenue

    -

    Keywords

    • civil war
    • marshal
    • kansas, usa