Thunder Over the Plains
Thunder Over the Plains
NR | 27 October 1953 (USA)
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Set in 1869, after the Civil War, Texas had not yet been readmitted to the Union and carpetbaggers, hiding behind the legal protection of the Union Army of occupation, had taken over the state. Federal Captain Porter, a Texan, has to carry out orders against his own people. He brings in the rebel leader Ben Westman whom he knows is innocent of a murder that he is accused of. In trying to prove his innocence, Porter himself becomes a wanted man.

Reviews
Lovesusti

The Worst Film Ever

2hotFeature

one of my absolute favorites!

TaryBiggBall

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

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Lachlan Coulson

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

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cricket crockett

" . . . South into the choicest slice of Enlightened Mexico, Hell-bent upon contaminating this Land of Freedom with their warped depraved horror of Racist Black Slavery" states the opening narration for THUNDER OVER THE PLAINS. "Lazy human ticks such as 'Dave Crockett' were so eager to leech great riches from the blood, sweat, and tears of those Minority Folks they claimed to 'own' that these feckless miscreants recklessly assumed that they could murder the superior forces of Santa Ana's Mexican Patriot Freedom Fighters at their shoddy make-shift hideouts such as San Antonio's 'Alamo,'" the narrator continues. "After Santa Ana bravely cleared out that Pro-Slavery vipers' nest, the underhanded 'Texicans' resorted to War Crimes (now banned by the Geneva Conventions) during the tragedy of the San Jacinto Disaster which doomed Texas Blacks to three decades of Slavery, plus 150 more years of systematic torture, Lynchings, and pick-up truck dragging deaths," concludes the opening narration for THUNDER OVER THE PLAINS. While it's hard to quibble with most of these Historic Facts, I would like to defend my Great Uncle Davy. The Disney People had beloved actor "Fess Parker" (who plays "Kirby" here) portray my uncle in their later biography of him. Since Davy "roamed in the woods till he knew every tree," he never had time to notice any of this Slavery Business going on before some mendacious swindlers sold him a fraudulent "time share" down in Texas!

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FightingWesterner

During reconstruction, Texas-born Army Captain Randolph Scott is torn between duty and his fellow Texans (including a young Fess Parker), who are in a life-or-death struggle against corrupt officials and ruthless carpetbaggers. Meanwhile, slimy officer Lex Barker gets a little too close to Scott's wife.Thunder Over The Plains sags just a bit in the middle, but has great production values and is fairly ambitious for a 1950's B-western, with some pretty complex characters. The cinematography and direction by Andre De Toth are excellent.Elisha Cooke Jr. is pretty good as a sniveling tax collector. Lex Barker's character is especially vile, kind of a surprise considering the times in which this was made and the fact that Barker is so handsome and all-American looking!

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bsmith5552

"Thunder Over the Plains" is another of those enjoyable little 80 minute color westerns turned out by Randolph Scott in the 1950s. Competently directed by Andre deToth, the film keeps moving along and doesn't get too bogged down with the domestic issues. And there's another of those great supporting casts of recognizable faces.This one takes place in Texas following the U.S. Civil War before the state re-entered the Union and was governed by the occupying Union Army. Capt. David Porter (Scott) is charged with the protection of government officials in their dealings with local land owners. The only trouble is these officials are nothing but carpetbaggers who over tax and cheat the farmers out of their property.Chief among the carpetbaggers are Tax Commissioner Joseph Standish (Elisha Cook Jr.) and cotton broker H.L. Balfour (Hugh Sanders). Porter, a native Texan, is accused of bias towards the settlers by his commanding officer, Lt. Col. Chandler (Henry Hull) who doesn't want to upset his superiors as he is within two years of retirement.Aiding the settlers is Ben Westman (Charles McGraw) a sort of "Robin Hood" who with his gang that includes Faraday (Lane Chandler), Kirby (Fess Parker) and henchman John Cason foil Balfour at every turn. Col. Chandler orders Porter to bring Westman in.Trigger happy Captain Bill Hodges (Lex Barker) arrives and is placed under Porter's command. He also has designs on Porter's attractive wife Norah (Phyllis Kirk). Hodges moves on Westman's hideout against Porter's orders and allows the bandit to escape. Hodges however, shoots Kirby in the back without provocation.When Standish witnesses Balfour murder a cohort, he becomes nervous and threatens to inform the authorities. Balfour murders Standish and pins the blame on Westman. In order to clear his name Westman allows Porter to take him in on Porter's promise to find the guilty party. Col. Chandler gives Porter only three days before he orders Westman hanged. After Hodges bungles another battle with Westman's gang, Chandler orders that Westman be hung the next morning. Porter goes to Westman's gang for help forcing a final showdown with Balfour and his gunman Conrad (James Brown) where.....................................Scott gives his usual excellent stiff jawed performance. Unusual for him, he remains in uniform for most of the film. Barker had recently finished his "Tarzan" series (1948-52) for RKO in which he replaced Johnny Weissmuller. Henry Hull is probably best remembered for "Werewolf of London" (1935) in which he played the title role.Fess Parker would shortly become Davy Crockett for Disney and later play Daniel Boone on TV. James Brown (not the football player or the Soul Singer) is best remembered for playing Lt. Rip Masters on the long running "Rin Tin Tin" TV series. Elisha Cook appeared in "Shane" the same year as "Torrey" the settler who is gunned down by Jack Palance. Also in the cast are Trevor Bardette as a settler and Earle Hodgins as a fast talking auctioneer.

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alexandre michel liberman (tmwest)

This film takes place in Texas after the civil war. The "carpetbaggers" were buying cotton bales for ridiculous prices after it was auctioned. Randolph Scott is Captain Porter who is obliged to maintain the law even though he is really on the side of those who are fighting the carpetbaggers, whose leader is Ben Westman (Charles McGraw). Scott does not resign only because he thinks someone else will be much harsher. When Captain Hodges (Lex Barker) shows up with a different point of view, you know trouble is coming, he even starts seducing Scott's wife Norah (Phyllis Kirk). Entertaining, with a lot of action and great color like most of Scott's films of the fifties.

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