CAVALCADE OF THE WEST (1936) Hoot Gibson, Rex Lease & Marion Shilling | Western | B&W

Cavalcade of the West is a 1936 American Western film directed by Harry L. Fraser.

SYNOPSIS
Two brothers are separated when young. One becomes the pony express rider Clint Knox and the other the outlaw Ace Carter. Their next meeting finds Ace way-laying Clint as he delivers the mail.

When a family misses the rendezvous for a wagon train they venture on their own to join it. They are ambushed by three outlaws who murder the father, knock out the mother and steal one of the two boys for themselves.

As the years go by, the remaining brother, Clint, and his mother, are looked after by others in the community with Clint making a living breaking and selling horses while the kidnapped brother Asa becomes an outlaw known as Ace Carter, presumably under the tutelage of his kidnappers. When the Pony Express is created, both brothers, their relationship unknown to each other, attempt to join as riders. Clint is accepted for the most dangerous route whilst Ace is rejected. Ace revenges himself by robbing the mail from his brother, and by robbing a stagecoach. The robbery of which Clint is suspected. Clint tracks down Ace and discovers him to be his long-lost brother. And when townsmen arrive to "string up" Ace for the robbery, Clint faces a tough choice.

CAST & CREW
Hoot Gibson as Clint Knox
Rex Lease as Ace Carter aka Asa Knox
Marion Shilling as Mary Christman
Adam Goodman as Windy Harper
Nina Guilbert as Mrs Martha Knox
Earl Dwire as George Christman
Phil Dunham as Reporter
Robert McKenzie as Judge
Steve Clark as John Knox
Jerry Tucker as Clint as a young boy
Barry Downing as Asa as a young boy

Directed by Harry L. Fraser
Written by Norman Houston
Produced by Walter Futter
Cinematography Paul Ivano
Edited by Arthur A. Brooks
Distributed by Diversion Pictures Grand National Films
Release date October 1, 1936
Running time 59 minutes
Country United States
Language English

SYNOPSIS
Just after the Civil War, Captain Thorn is sent west to help protect the new telegraph line that is under construction. Leeds is out to establish an independent nation in the west and tries stop its construction and also incoming wagon trains by inciting the Indians to attack both of them.

Following General Lee's surrender, Colonel Lafe Harvey, CSA returns to the family plantation to inform his niece Betty Lee that her father, General John Harvey, CSA was killed in a river during a battle. At that moment former guerillas have turned to brigandage where they attack and burn the plantation. Col. Harvey shoots one of them who attempt to attack a female slave. After the skirmish, where their plantation home has been burned to the ground, the Colonel and Betty Lee inform the freed slaves that they will take a wagon train to the West.

Shortly afterwards, Union Army Lieutenant Ted Thorn brings a blinded General Harvey home, as one last favour, the General asks Ted the inform his brother and his daughter of his return. The General does not know the man who saved his life was a Union officer until one of the ex-slaves tells him so.

Lt. Thorn meets President Abraham Lincoln who promotes him to Captain in the US Army and sends him on an undercover mission to stop a new republic from being formed in the West. The same former guerrillas who burned the Harvey plantation are amongst the plotters who consort with the Indians to act as a buffer state for them.

CAST & CREW
Bob Steele as Captain Ted Thorn
Frances Grant as Betty Lee Harvey
Karl Hackett as Gavin Rance
Hal Price as Horace Leeds
Earle Ross as Colonel Lafe Harvey
Ed Cassidy as Henchman Bart Haines
William Welsh as General John Harvey
Budd Buster as Wagon Boss Jake / President Lincoln

Directed by Robert N. Bradbury
Written by Robert N. Bradbury (story), George H. Plympton (screenplay)
Produced by A.W. Hackel
Cinematography Bert Longenecker
Edited by S. Roy Luby
Distributed by Republic Pictures
Release date October 5, 1936
Running time 63 minutes
Country United States
Language English