Dark Command
“A drama of undying love.”
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.
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Cast
81 people
Claire Trevor
Miss Mary McCloud
Known for
Stagecoach
Murder, My Sweet
John Wayne
Bob Seton
Known for
The Searchers
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Walter Pidgeon
William 'Will' Cantrell
Known for
Forbidden Planet
How Green Was My Valley
Roy Rogers
Fletcher 'Fletch' McCloud
Also in
Young Buffalo Bill
Son of Paleface
George 'Gabby' Hayes
Andrew 'Doc' Grunch
Known for
Tall in the Saddle
Porter Hall
Angus McCloud
Known for
Double Indemnity
Ace in the Hole
Howard C. Hickman
Southerner Orating for Votes
Marjorie Main
Mrs. Cantrell / Mrs. Adams
Known for
Heaven Can Wait
Meet Me in St. Louis
Raymond Walburn
Judge Buckner
Known for
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Christmas in July
Joe Sawyer
Bushropp
Known for
The Killing
Gilda
Helen MacKellar
Mrs. Hale
Also in
Three Faces West
High School Girl
J. Farrell MacDonald
Dave
Known for
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
My Darling Clementine
Raoul Walsh Director · Grover Jones Screenplay Lionel Houser Screenplay
Budget $750K · United States release April 15, 1940 · Produced in United States
Box office
Budget
$750,000
Production
Republic Pictures
Production
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English
Release dates
Canada · April 15, 1940
Theatrical
United States · April 15, 1940
Theatrical
Brazil
December 8, 1998 · TV · Worldvision Filmes do Brasil
Germany
August 31, 1951 · Theatrical
Portugal
November 1, 1943 · Theatrical
XC
May 2, 1947 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.