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1931 film
Fighting Caravans
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by
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Screenplay by
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Based on
| Fighting Caravans
by
Zane Grey
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Starring
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Cinematography
| Lee Garmes
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Edited by
| William Shea
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Music by
| Max Bergunker
Karl Hajos
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Production
company
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Distributed by
| Paramount Pictures
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Release date
|
- February 1, 1931
(
1931-02-01
)
(USA)
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Running time
| 92 minutes
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Country
| United States
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Language
| English
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Fighting Caravans
is a 1931 American
pre-Code
Western
film directed by
Otto Brower
and
David Burton
and starring
Gary Cooper
,
Lili Damita
, and
Ernest Torrence
.
[1]
Based on the 1929 novel
Fighting Caravans
by
Zane Grey
, the film is about a young frontier scout who helps guide a freight wagon train across the country, fighting off Indians and evil traders, while his two crusty companions try to save him from falling in love. Although billed as being based on the Zane Grey novel, the stories have little in common. The film was actually written by
Agnes Brand Leahy
,
Edward E. Paramore, Jr.
, and
Keene Thompson
.
[1]
Fighting Caravans
was remade just three years later as
Wagon Wheels
, a low-budget production employing extensive stock footage from
Fighting Caravans
and starring
Randolph Scott
and
Gail Patrick
in the lead roles. Every character's name was changed in the remake except that of Clint Belmet, played by Cooper and Scott.
[1]
Plot
[
edit
]
Clint Belmet (
Gary Cooper
) is a bit of a firebrand and is sentenced to at least 30 days in jail, but his partners, Bill Jackson (
Ernest Torrence
) and Jim Bridger (
Tully Marshall
) talk a sympathetic Frenchwoman named Felice (
Lili Damita
) into telling the bumbling, drunken marshal that Clint had married her the previous night. Clint is released so he can accompany Felice on the
wagon train
heading west to California.
A short time later, Felice finds out that Bill and Jim had lied to her; she did not need a man in order to join the wagon train. In a short stopover in a town, they learn that the Indians are causing trouble, so Clint offers to guide the wagon train through the dangerous trails ahead. On the journey, Felice's wagon runs out of control downhill and Clint rescues her. Felice starts talking about marriage. Clint has always been free and wants to stay that way, so he leaves.
He later finds out that Indians (Kiowas and Cheyenne who have been talked into the warpath by crooked traders) are planning to attack the wagon train. He, Bill and Jim rush back to save the day. The Indians attack at a river crossing. Clint helps save the day with some barrels of gunpowder but his friends are killed. The survivors continue on to California.
Cast
[
edit
]
Production
[
edit
]
It was filmed entirely in
Sonora, California
and is available on DVD.
References
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edit
]
External links
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edit
]