SAGEBRUSH TRAIL (1933) John Wayne, Nancy Shubert & Lane Chandler | Western | B&W

Sagebrush Trail (UK title An Innocent Man) is a 1933 American Pre-Code Western film with locations filmed at Bronson Canyon starring John Wayne and featuring Lane Chandler and Yakima Canutt (Canutt plays the leader of the gang as well as doubling for Wayne in several stunts). It was the second Lone Star Productions film released by Monogram Pictures. It was shown as An Innocent Man in the UK, and this version was later released in a colorized version on home video.

SYNOPSIS
A man framed for murder escapes prison and goes west, where he joins a gang with the real killer involved.

Sentenced for a murder he did not commit, John Brant escapes from prison determined to find the real killer. By chance Brant's narrow escape from lawmen is witnessed by Joseph Conlon who goes by the name of "Jones". Giving Brant the name of "Smith" Conlon, Jones gets him into his outlaw gang hiding out in an abandoned mine. Brant attempts to disrupt the outlaw gang's robberies and comes closer to finding his man.

The gang leader suspects John Brant/Smith but Joseph/Jones Conlon consoles him & takes him on a test run to recon a grocery store with a safe in it. John Brant writes a note to the grocery clerk (Sally Blake) warning her of the impending robbery. When Jones & Smith return later that night to rob the store the Sheriff & his Deputy are waiting. They shoot Smith who is taken by Jones to "Blind Pete's" to recover. This first robbery was deliberately spoiled by Smith in July.

In August we see Smith is fully recovered & Jones visits him & encourages him to join them in an attempt to rob a stagecoach carrying the payroll for miners. Suspecting Smith Jones disinvites him & goes to rob the coach himself with the gang. Smith intercepts the coach & robs the coach before hand, then informs Sally & asks her to tell the Sheriff to pick up the robbed money, thereby saving the payroll from being robbed.

Jones suspects Smith but is not sure. The gang leader also suspects Smith so this time he deliberately gives Smith a false tip. Jones decides to follow Smith to see if he will betray them. He soon discovers that Smith views him as a friend & took the fall for him & went to jail for him. Jones decides to save Smith who is now walking back to the gang - who are waiting to ambush him.

As Smith is about to be ambushed, Jones warns him to take cover & the two start fighting the gang surrounding them. They mount a stagecoach & escape the encircling gang. Meanwhile Sally the grocery girl on Jones' exhortation gets the help of the Sheriff and their posse & then rush to save both Jones & Smith.

Jones & Smith outrun the entire gang & then Smith drops behind & starts picking off the gang members one by one until he gets the last one. Jones however is shot & his stagecoach falls off a cliff. By the time Smith reaches Jones the Sheriff & his deputies also catch up.

CAST & CREW
John Wayne as John Brant
Nancy Shubert as Sally Blake
Lane Chandler as Joseph Conlon
Yakima Canutt as Outlaw Gang Leader
Wally Wales as Deputy Sheriff
Art Mix as Henchman
Bob Burns as Sheriff Parker

Directed by Armand Schaefer
Written by Lindsley Parsons, Will Beale
Produced by Paul Malvern, Trem Carr
Cinematography Archie Stout
Edited by Carl Pierson
Distributed by Monogram Pictures Corporation
Release date December 15, 1933
Running time 54 minutes
Country United States
Language English

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