The Night Riders (1939)

[ethanedwards]

THE NIGHT RIDERS

DIRECTED BY GEORGE SHERMAN
PRODUCED BY WILLIMA A. BERKE
REPUBLIC PICTURES

..

INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Plot Summary
Talbot uses a phony land grant to rule thirteen million acres,
taxing everyone heavily and evicting those who won't pay.
The Three Mesquiteers becomes mysterious "night riders" to fight this evil.
Summary written by Ed Stephan

Full Cast
John Wayne .... Stony Brooke
Ray Corrigan .... Tucson Smith
Max Terhune .... Lullaby Joslin
Doreen McKay .... Soledad
Ruth Rogers .... Susan Randall
George Douglas .... Talbot Pierce, aka Don Luis de Serrano
Tom Tyler .... Henchman Jackson
Kermit Maynard .... Sheriff Pratt
Sammy McKim .... Tim Randall
Walter Wills .... Hazleton (the Forger)
Ethan Laidlaw .... Henchman Andrews
Edward Peil Sr. .... Rancher Harper
Tom London .... Rancher Wilson
Jack Ingram .... Henchman Wilkins
Bill Nestell .... Brawler (as William Nestell)
Yakima Canutt .... Mob Member
Bob Card .... Rancher (uncredited)
Allan Cavan .... Judge (uncredited)
Art Dillard .... Mob Member (uncredited)
Curley Dresden .... Mob Member (uncredited)
Olin Francis .... Enlistee getting socked (uncredited)
John Ince .... Riverboat Captain Timmons (uncredited)
Jane Keckley .... Rancher's Wife (uncredited)
Jack Kirk .... Tavern Keeper (uncredited)
Cactus Mack .... Henchman (uncredited)
Eva McKenzie .... Rancher's Wife (uncredited)
David McKim .... Messenger (uncredited)
George Montgomery .... Mob Member (uncredited)
Horace Murphy .... Riverboat Captain Asa Beckett (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor .... Washington Telegraph Operator (uncredited)
Bud Osborne .... Enlistee (uncredited)
Hal Price .... Rancher (uncredited)
Hugh Prosser .... Federal Man (uncredited)
Francis Sayles .... President James A. Garfield (uncredited)
David Sharpe .... Henchman (uncredited)
Lee Shumway .... Rancher (uncredited)
Glenn Strange .... Riverboat Gambler (uncredited)
Georgia Summers .... Aunt Martha (uncredited)
Al Taylor .... Henchman (uncredited)
Francis Walker .... Enlistee (uncredited)
Roger Williams .... Townsman (uncredited)
Hank Worden .... Rancher (uncredited)

Writing Credits
William Colt MacDonald (characters)
Betty Burbridge (original screenplay) &
Stanley Roberts (original screenplay)

Original Music
William Lava

Cinematography
Jack A. Marta

Stunts
Yakima Canutt .... stunts (uncredited)
George Montgomery .... stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe .... stunts (uncredited)
Francis Walker .... stunts (uncredited)

Filming Location
Agoura Ranch, Agoura, California, USA

[ethanedwards]

The Night Riders is a 1939 "Three Mesquiteers" Western film
starring John Wayne, Ray "Crash" Corrigan, and Max Terhune.
Wayne played the lead in eight of the fifty-one films in the popular series.
The director was George Sherman.

After his unhappy spell, with the 6 picture deal with Universal,
things changed for the better.

A series of 'B' Westerns, was being updated, with Duke
being invited into the role of Stony Brooke, recently vacated by
by Bob Livingston.
The Three Mesquiteers
was a popular series for Republic , and Duke's winning personality,
soon worked in, with the established characters, Ray Corrigan, as Tuscon Smith,
Max Terhune as Lullaby Johnson, and Terhune's dummy, Elmer.

Duke made 8 of these and this was his first.
Although, it is said, he found them to be dreary, and a drudgery.

I can remember seeing them, on the Saturday morning matinees,
with all the kids, yelling, booing and hissing, at every other interval.
I remember Elmer, with great fondness, oh and yes Duke of course.
What an improvement he was, in these, and the Duke we now ,know and love,
was at least shining through.

They were horrible montrosities

he told writer Maurice Zolotow.

However, what Duke didn't realise, is that they had exposed him,
to a much bigger audience, including 'A' pictures, audiences.

They may have been a drudgery, but within months,
the big bang, was there

Stagecoach

Duke, once again with his trusty pals,
Ray Corrigans says,

You know, there used to be a time, when being an American, meant something.

Duke responds,

It still does.It stands for freedom, and fair play.

When deciding, on what had to be done,

Duke expounds,
All the more reason, we gotta fight.The men, who opened up this country, didn't sit around, cryin' for help. They did somethin'

With dialogue like this, THE THREE MESQUITEERS, won the day.

User Review

Author: Ron Kerrigan from Whidbey Island, Washington,From IMDb
Certainly fun for fans of John Wayne, this short Three Mesquiteers programmer is okay,
and typical of the low-budget westerns we associate with the time period.
At least they didn't outfit the "night riders" (who are portrayed as Western Robin Hoods)
with pointed caps when they chose white head covering masks and flowing capes.

[chester7777]

Well, we haven't seen this film, and find that it is unavailable at Amazon, Deep Discount, or anyplace else we looked.

We've seen some of the Three Mesquiteers episodes, but not this one.

Arthur, do you know of any good sources for old, rare films?

Chester

[Harry00]

I have searched the forum and didn't come up with anything on this. Watched a JW film yesterday entitled The Night Riders featuring The Three Musquiteers (I have no idea how to spell that M word). I have never seen this film and I guess there was a series of these. In The Night Riders, they dress up in white robes and masks call themselves "Los" something. Can someone clue me in on this series of JW films?

[arthurarnell]

Hi

During the mid 1930s and into the 1940s Repyublic made a series of popular westerns featuring a trio called The Three Mesquiteers. John Wayne featured in eight of these pictures playing Stony Brooke the leader of the trio. In this he was accompanied by Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune (later Raymond Hatton)

The Mesquiteers owned a ranch but spent their time riding to the rescue of young women farmers etc. four of his films Pals of the Saddle, Overland Stage Raiders Santa Fe Stampede and Red River Range were released before Stagecoach with John Wayne's success in that picture the final four The Night Riders Three Texas Steers Wyoming Outlaw New Frontier were rushed out to capitalise on Wayne's name.

To quote Fred Landesman's book The John Wayne Filmography

The Night Riders* was filmed from February 16 to February 24 1939 under the working titles Heroes of the Desert and Lone Star Bullets. Budgeted at $35,000* Waynes salary was $3000.

The film tells the story of a crooked card sharp who assumes the title of a Spanish don and forges a land document that looks so convincing that he is able to take over a vast area of land and hold the ranchers to ransom making them pay large taxes. In order to stop him the Mesquiteers form themselves into a sort of Robin Hood type calling themselves Los Capaqueros wearing white capes and stealing from the villains to pay back the ranchers.

Hope this helps

Regard

Arthur

[The Ringo Kid]

To add to what Arthur posted above, there were some 28 - 32 movies that had the Three Mesquiteers in them. Eight of these had John Wayne as Stoney Brooke. I can't remember where it is posted here but I copied a list of all the Three Mesquiteers movies and who made of the Mesquiteer teams and I think the list had them by year as well.

Other Mesquiteers included: Max Terhune, Ray "Crash" Corrigan, and Duncan Reynaldo. If I can find the list, i'll post a link to it here.

[chester7777]

Here are two posters.

The second one is a 1953 reissue poster. If you've been checking out these posters as I post them, you have probably noticed that it appears the Three Mesquiteers posters were reissued in 1953, all with a similar format, simply changing the title in the bottom yellow portion. Does anybody know if the films were released in theaters again? Was that the reason for the new posters? I'm assuming it was.

[kevin k]

this is one of the worst films ever made but still interesting-i wonder how many times james garfield has been portrayed on film-i dont like it much but im still going to keep my copy-john wayne is amazing that way

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