Dark Command

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Dark Command

1940,

1h 34m,

Western

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100%

5 Reviews

Tomatometer

71%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

5 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

As the Civil War erupts, the townsfolk of Lawrence, Kansas side with either the North or the South, and a deeply embittered sheriff allies himself to the South as a cover for his outlaw gang to pillage and intimidate those who support the North. When his wife realizes his true violent nature, he not only has to rescue her but save the town.

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Aurelio Pego

Cine-Mundial

Apr 9, 2021

The action develops, thanks to Raoul Walsh's capable direction, without interruption, intensely absorbing the viewer's attention. [Full review in Spanish]

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Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Jul 17, 2009

Unusual Western, with eerie, sinister atmosphere, lots of political commentary, and strange relationships.

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Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Mar 22, 2008

4/5

Above average western covering the Quantrill territory, full of fiction over fact, and starring John Wayne and Roy Rogers.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Mar 11, 2008

B+

Nominated for the Interior Decoration and Score Oscars, this John Wayne pre-Civil War adventure is better than the norm due to Raoul Walsh's direction and good cast.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Oct 8, 2005

B

Republic's costliest film; it was also its biggest box office hit.

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Ron M

Nov 4, 2018

While this is a John Wayne Western, and the big goof is indeed here and doing the typical John Wayne thing (with nearly every line peppered w/a reference to how great Texas is, statewise), but this is not really his show. In point of fact his is the most cliche and flat of every role in this. Everyone else is having a time spreading their wings and breaking their usual movieland duties. Walter Pidgeon plays the bad guy (because his 'good guy' is so very in-your-face underappreciated), Roy Rodgers is a murderer, and Marjorie Main very nearly embodies the figure of Death itself. I blame the director, Raoul Walsh, who makes this a cowboy feature where the horses don't walk away (trot?) with the whole dang shebang. A better-than-most Western and well worth your time.

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Finn W

May 26, 2017

JOHN WAYNE. ROY ROGERS! GABBY HAYES! WALTER PIDGEON. Interesting fictional story loosely based on Quantrill's Raiders in Lawrence, Bleeding Kansas. But the movie character name is Cantrell. I have never forgotten seeing a part of this movie when i was a young kid. Recognize it when i watched the entire movie for first time on ThisTV 5-2017.

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Raoul Walsh

Director

Claire Trevor

Mary McCloud

John Wayne

Bob Seton

Walter Pidgeon

William 'Will' Cantrell

Roy Rogers

Fletch McCloud

George "Gabby" Hayes

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Synopsis

As the Civil War erupts, the townsfolk of Lawrence, Kansas side with either the North or the South, and a deeply embittered sheriff allies himself to the South as a cover for his outlaw gang to pillage and intimidate those who support the North. When his wife realizes his true violent nature, he not only has to rescue her but save the town.

Director: Raoul Walsh
Screenwriter: Grover Jones, Lionel Houser, F. Hugh Herbert, W. R. Burnett
Distributor: Republic Pictures
Production Co: Republic
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 1940, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 4, 2017
Runtime: 1h 34m

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