3 Bad Men | |
---|---|
Directed by | John Ford |
Written by | Herman Whitaker (novel Over the Border) John Stone Malcolm Stuart Boylan Ralph Spence |
Produced by | John Ford |
Starring | George O'Brien Olive Borden |
Cinematography | George Schneiderman |
Distributed by | Fox Film Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
Country | United States |
Languages | Silent English intertitles |
3 Bad Men is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by John Ford. [1] [2] Bob Mastrangelo has called it "One of John Ford's greatest silent epics." The film possibly inspired the title for Akira Kurosawa's 1958 film Three Bad Men in a Hidden Fortress, simply known as The Hidden Fortress in the rest of the world. [3]
A discovery of gold in the Dakotas on Sioux lands in 1877 provokes a gold land rush. Numerous people come to Custer for their chance to claim land and possibly gold when the proclamation to explore the lands goes into effect, such as singing cowboy Dan O'Malley, the Carltons, and a group of outlaws headed by "Bull" Stanley. On their way to steal a bunch of horses, the outlaws save Lee Carlton from a different sort of outlaws, who had killed her father. Instead of taking the horses for themselves, the three outlaws decide to head to Custer as her protectors. The town is plagued with corruption and injustice headed by the Sheriff Layne Hunter, who learns where gold is located and wants to find it before the others. Meanwhile, the three "bad men" decide to arrange a marriage for Lee, who soon meets up with Dan. The three outlaws must deal with that unexpected romantic attraction, along with the looming sheriff's gang and the race of wagons for gold. Dan and Lee find love with each other while the outlaws kill each other in a last stand.
The film was shot over a fifteen-month period in 1925 and 1926. During the filming, three of the actresses involved, Olive Borden, Priscilla Bonner, and Grace Gordon, became ill with a form of paratyphoid fever, and had to be taken to the hospital.
The shooting locations for the film included:
Tom London was an American actor who played frequently in B-Westerns. According to The Guinness Book of Movie Records, London is credited with appearing in the most films in the history of Hollywood, according to the 2001 book Film Facts, which says that the performer who played in the most films was "Tom London, who made his first of over 2,000 appearances in The Great Train Robbery, 1903. He used his birth name in films until 1924.
Tom Tyler was an American actor known for his leading roles in low-budget Western films in the silent and sound eras, and for his portrayal of superhero Captain Marvel in the 1941 serial film The Adventures of Captain Marvel. Tyler also played Kharis in 1940's The Mummy's Hand, a popular Universal Studios monster film.
Jack Perrin was an American actor specializing in Westerns.
Don Haggerty was an American actor of film and television.
Kenne Duncan was a Canadian-born American B-movie character actor. Hyped professionally as "The Meanest Man in the Movies," the vast majority of his over 250 appearances on camera were Westerns, but he also did occasional forays into horror, crime drama, and science fiction. He also appeared in over a dozen serials.
Robert Joseph Wilke was an American film and television actor noted primarily for his roles as villains, mostly in Westerns.
Francis Connolly Shannon was an Irish actor and writer.
Earl Dwire, born Earl Dean Dwire, was an American character actor who appeared in more than 150 movies between 1921 and his death in 1940.
Harry Lewis Woods was an American film actor.
William Anton Gittinger, best known as William Steele, was an American actor of small roles in Westerns, particularly those of John Ford.
Myron Daniel Healey was an American actor. He began his career in Hollywood, California during the early 1940s and eventually made hundreds of appearances in movies and on television during a career spanning more than half a century.
Vester Pegg was an American actor of the silent film era. He appeared in 140 films between 1912 and 1941, mainly Westerns. He was born in Appleton City, Missouri and died in Los Angeles, California.
Warner Richmond was an American stage and film actor. He began his career as a stock theatre actor and appeared in films in both the silent film and sound eras. His career spanned four decades. He is possibly best recalled for appearances in Westerns in his later career in sound films. Between 1912 and 1946, he appeared in more than 140 films.
William Desmond was an American actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1948. He was nicknamed "The King of the Silent Serials."
Robert Donald Walker was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1913 and 1953. He was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and died in Los Angeles.
Stanley Price was an American film supporting actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1922 and 1956. He was a charter member of the Screen Actors Guild.
Stanley Fields was an American actor.
Guns and Guitars is a 1936 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane and starring Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and Dorothy Dix in her final film appearance. Written by Dorrell and Stuart E. McGowan, the film is about a singing cowboy who helps protect a county from fever-ridden cattle, and after being framed for murdering the sheriff, proves his innocence, gets elected sheriff, and then goes after the bad guy.
Albert J. Smith was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1921 and 1937.
Bob Hampton of Placer is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Marshall Neilan and written by Marion Fairfax. It is based on the 1910 novel Bob Hampton of Placer by Randall Parrish. The film stars James Kirkwood Sr., Wesley Barry, Marjorie Daw, Pat O'Malley, Noah Beery Sr., and Frank Leigh. The film was released on May 1, 1921, by Associated First National Pictures.