Riders of Destiny (1933)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Robert N. Bradbury

Writer:

Robert N. Bradbury (story)

Release Date:

10 October 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Western

Tagline:

A Great Western Star in a WHIRLWIND of ACTION! (1947 poster)

Plot:

Badguy Kincaid controls the local water supply and plans to do in the other ranchers. Government agent...

Plot Keywords:

Contract | Deception | Hired Killer | Stagecoach Robbery | Undercover Agent

Cast

John Wayne	...	Singin' Sandy Saunders
Cecilia Parker	...	Fay Denton
Forrest Taylor	...	James Kincaid
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	Charlie Denton (as George Hayes)
Al St. John	...	Henchman Bert
Heinie Conklin	...	Henchman Elmer
Yakima Canutt	...	Henchman
Earl Dwire	...	Slip Morgan
Lafe McKee	...	Sheriff Bill Baxter
Addie Foster	...	Mrs. Mason
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Silver Tip Baker	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Horace B. Carpenter	...	Rancher (uncredited)
William Dyer	...	Rancher (uncredited)
Fern Emmett	...	Bather's Wife (uncredited)
Si Jenks	...	Bather (uncredited)
Bert Lindley	...	Rancher (uncredited)
Herman Nowlin	...	Guard at Dam (uncredited)
Tex Palmer	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Hal Price	...	Townsman Recognizing Sandy (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert N. Bradbury

Writing credits
Robert N. Bradbury		(story) (as R.N. Bradbury)

Produced by
Paul Malvern	....	producer

Original Music by
Billy Barber		(1985) (as William Barber)

Cinematography by
Archie Stout		(photography by)

Film Editing by
Carl Pierson

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Harry L. Fraser	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Stransky Jr.	....	sound recordist (as John A. Stransky Jr.)
Glenn Rominger	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Stunts
Yakima Canutt	....	stunt double: John Wayne (uncredited)
Jack Jones	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Billy Barber	....	orchestrator (1985 re-release) (as William Barber)
Bill Bradbury	....	singing voice: John Wayne (uncredited)

Other crew
E.R. Hickson	....	technical director

Production Companies

• Lone Star Productions (I)
• Monogram Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Monogram Pictures Corporation (1933) (USA) (theatrical)
• Empire Films Ltd. (1933) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Pathé Pictures International (1934) (UK) (theatrical)
• Monogram Pictures Corporation (1939) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Foothill Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Grapevine Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Lorber (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• United American Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Madacy Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Madacy Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Sinister Cinema (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Films Around the World (II) (2002) (USA) (TV) (syndication)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Classics Associates Inc. (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Brentwood Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• Better Television Distribution (2006) (worldwide) (TV) (syndication)
• Passport International Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Comet Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

53 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Balsley and Phillips Recording System)

Certification:

UK:U (cut) | UK:U | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | South Korea:12 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Andy Jauregui Ranch - Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, California, USA

Company:

Lone Star Productions (I)

Goofs:

Continuity: The stagecoach drivers are robbed by Faye Denton in light-coloured clothing and hat. Yet later on they pursue Saunders as the hold-up man despite the facts that his clothing is all dark-coloured, he is taller and he is wearing a completely different hat.

Quotes:

Singin' Sandy Saunders: Howdy, folks. Could you tell me where the Sheriff is?
James Kincaid: Oh, I take charge when he isn't here. Can I do anything I can you do for you?
Singin' Sandy Saunders: Thanks, I'll wait for him.
James Kincaid: The Sheriff didn't care especially for this job - he might not come back.
Singin' Sandy Saunders: I'll take that chance. I have an idea he *will* come back.
[Singin' Sandy leaves the jailhouse]
James Kincaid: I don't like the way that fellow talks. We'll watch him.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Song of the Wild

Singing Sandy Saunders Sends 'Em to Jail

Had the good folks at Lone Star Productions only decided not to dub John Wayne's voice with some forgettable cowboy ballads this would have been a far better western than it turned out to be.

Of course Wayne in later years would cringe at the mention of these films. If you want a good idea of how he really sounded listen to him in McLintock singing a favorite ballad of his, The Moon Shines Tonight on Pretty Redwing. The Lone Star people might have even looked for a young band singer working day to day in clubs in New Jersey around this time named Frank Sinatra who over 30 years later actually had his voice come out of Wayne's mouth during a Dean Martin show.

If they could have cut out the singing gimmick, Riders of Destiny is not a bad film, in fact a cut above some of the westerns the Duke was doing at the time. Ranchers in the valley are being squeezed out by a greedy villain played by Forrest Taylor. He's built a dam and controls all the water and it's either sell to him outright or pay his exorbitant prices for water. Gabby Hayes and his daughter Cecelia Parker happen to have the only other water around because they dug a well. Taylor especially wants their land.

The citizens have written to the federal government in Washington for intervention and they get it in the form of John Wayne. I don't think I have to go any farther. The Duke finds a very clever solution for the water problem which you should see the film to find out.

But don't lose your lunch hearing that Nelson Eddy wannabe voice coming out of Mr. Wayne's mouth.