MURDER ON THE YUKON (1940) James Newill, Polly Ann Young & Dave O'Brien | Adventure, Drama | B&W

Murder on the Yukon is a 1940 American adventure film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and written by Milton Raison. It is based on the 1931 novel Renfrew Rides North by Laurie York Erskine. The film stars James Newill, Polly Ann Young, Dave O'Brien, Al St. John, William Royle and Chief Thundercloud. The film was released on February 25, 1940, by Monogram Pictures.

SYNOPSIS
Two Mounties, Sergeant Renfrew (James Newill) and Constable Kelly (Dave O'Brien), are on vacation when they discover the body of Jim Smithers, a miner who has just been murdered. They follow the trail to a cabin, where they are attacked by the murderer's gang.

Joan Manning (Polly Ann Young) and George Weathers (Al St. John) run a trading post where Jim had exchanged his gold dust for cash. Jim’s announcement that he plans to leave for Montreal with the money disturbs Weathers, who is secretly the head of a counterfeiting ring. Weathers orders his henchman, Hawks (Chief Thundercloud), to kill Jim before he passes the counterfeit money in the city.

Renfrew finds Jim’s brother dead, with a suicide note claiming responsibility for Jim's murder. Suspecting foul play, Renfrew discovers a counterfeit bill and follows Monti (Snub Pollard), an Indian working for Weathers, to the counterfeiters' hideout. Kelly is captured by the gang but escapes and rescues Renfrew, who had been taken prisoner during a confrontation at the trading post. Together, Renfrew and Kelly apprehend the gang, finding the counterfeit money hidden among fur pelts.

CAST & CREW
James Newill as Renfrew
Polly Ann Young as Joan Manning
Dave O'Brien as Constable Kelly
Al St. John as Bill Smithers
William Royle as George Weathers
Chief Thundercloud as Manti
Karl Hackett as Hawks
Snub Pollard as Archie
Kenne Duncan as Tom
Earl Douglas as Steve
Budd Buster as Jim Smithers

Directed by: Louis J. Gasnier
Written by: William Kernell
Produced by: Larry Darmour
Cinematography by: James S. Brown Jr.
Edited by: Dwight Caldwell
Music by: Lee Zahler
Production company: Larry Darmour Productions
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release date: 1940
Running time: 59 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English

NOTES
Murder on the Yukon faced stiff competition from Republic's Hi-Yo Silver, a feature-length condensation of the popular The Lone Ranger serial. Chief Thundercloud appeared in both films, as Tonto in Hi-Yo Silver and as the henchman Manti in Murder on the Yukon.

Silent film comedians Snub Pollard and Al St. John appear in minor roles.
Polly Ann Young played the female lead, though her role was minimal, mainly adding female presence to the screen. Dorothea Kent received more screen time in the sequel, Danger Ahead.