Thunder Over the Plains

Thunder Over the Plains
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Andre de Toth
Written by	Russell S. Hughes
Produced by	David Weisbart
Starring	Randolph Scott Lex Barker Phyllis Kirk Henry Hull
Cinematography	Bert Glennon
Edited by	James Moore
Music by	David Buttolph
Color process	WarnerColor
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	October 27, 1953 (1953-10-27)
Running time	82 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1.6 million [1]

Thunder Over The Plains is a 1953 American Western film directed by Andre de Toth and starring Randolph Scott with Lex Barker, Phyllis Kirk, Henry Hull, Elisha Cook, Jr. and Fess Parker. It was Barker's first film after starring in five Tarzan pictures.

Plot

Set in 1869, during the Reconstruction Era following 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, are levying high taxes through occupying local government positions and using the locals' financial distress to acquire assets at well below normal value. Federal Captain Porter (Randolph Scott), a Texan, has to enforce the letter of the law against the violent opposition of his own people. Porter also needs to contend with a strident fellow officer, Captain Bill Hodges. Porter arrests the rebel leader Ben Westman (Charles McGraw) on what he knows is a false murder charge. In trying to prove Westman's innocence, Porter himself becomes a wanted man.

Cast

• Randolph Scott as Capt. David Porter
• Lex Barker as Capt. Bill Hodges
• Phyllis Kirk as Norah Porter
• Charles McGraw as Ben Westman
• Henry Hull as Lt. Col. Chandler
• Elisha Cook, Jr. as Joseph Standish
• Hugh Sanders as H. L. Balfour
• Lane Chandler as Mike Faraday
• James Brown as Conrad
• Fess Parker as Kirby

References

1. "1954 Box Office Champs". Variety Weekly. January 5, 1955. p. 59. - figures are rentals in the US and Canada

External links

• Thunder Over the Plains at IMDb
• Thunder Over the Plains at the TCM Movie Database
• Thunder Over the Plains at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films