DARK COMMAND is an interesting western/war film, shot well in black and white and featuring a good turn from a heroic John Wayne, although it's much more than just another John Wayne vehicle. It's a film which uses the tableau of the American Civil War to deliver a story which is packed with character and depth, in much the same way as GONE WITH THE WIND. It's not as good as that epic movie, of course, but it does still make for fine viewing.Wayne plays a Texan character who shows up in Kansas and soon becomes involved with a group of raiders led by a man called Cantrell, played by Walter Pidgeon. Cantrell is based on the real-life character of Quantrill and his real-life marauders who laid waste to the local area back at the time. Pidgeon gives a gripping, larger than life performance in the role and steals all of his scenes from the youthful Wayne, he's that good.The rest of the film is a mix of lavish and spectacular action scenes including chases and shoot-outs, mixed with humour and romance. Cowboy star Roy Rogers plays in support while Claire Trevor is the mixed-up love interest. Other than Pidgeon, the real star of the show is director Raoul Walsh, who makes this a brisk and engaging production.

Although the American Civil War officially broke out in 1861, armed hostilities between supporters and opponents of slavery had been going on for several years prior to that in some parts of the USA, especially in Missouri and Kansas, which became known as "bleeding Kansas". "Dark Command" is a film which explores this period of American history. The main character is a young man named Bob Seton who arrives in the town of Lawrence, Kansas some time in the late 1850s. The first part of the film is dull and slow-moving, dealing with Seton's unsuccessful courtship of Mary McCloud, the pretty daughter of the town's Scottish- born banker, and his attempt to start a political career by running for Marshal. He also makes the acquaintance of the local schoolmaster William Cantrell who is his rival in both love and politics. Things start to get more exciting when Seton wins the election; John Wayne was always more convincing as an action hero than as a screen lover and as Marshal Seton has plenty of work on his plate. Disappointed by the failure of his hopes for a career in law enforcement, Cantrell decides to take up a career in law breaking and forms his own gang of outlaws to terrorise the district. He is careful, however, to ensure that his identity is never discovered so remains a mild-mannered teacher by day, an audacious bandit chief by night. (Cantrell, as his name might suggest, is based on a real historical figure, William Quantrill).The area is sharply divided between pro-Northern and pro-Southern factions, and matters come to a head when Mary's hot-headed pro-slavery brother Fletcher shoots a man dead in an argument about politics. Mary offers to marry Seton if he will grant her brother bail, but he has too much integrity to agree, knowing that Fletcher will abscond if given the chance. In desperation Mary turns to Cantrell who manages to secure Fletcher's acquittal, partly through his eloquence but mostly through the simpler expedient of intimidating the jurymen. Most films from this period with a Civil War theme tended to sit on the fence politically in order to avoid alienating either Northern or Southern audiences; an exception is "Belle Starr" from the following year which is quite disgracefully pro-Southern. "Dark Command" is never quite as biased, but even so the film-makers tend to distort history to make their film more acceptable south of the Mason-Dixon Line. The real Quantrill was a Rebel guerrilla whose activities were initially sanctioned by the Confederate high command. (They eventually disowned him because of his brutal methods). Here Cantrell is simply an opportunist robber with no connection to the Confederate forces but who dresses his men in stolen Confederate uniforms as a disguise. The murderous Fletcher McCloud, who for a time joins Cantrell's gang, is allowed to redeem himself by joining the good guys. (A rare example, during the Production Code era, of a murderer getting away with his crime unpunished and a rare example of the normally clean-cut Roy Rogers playing a criminal). The hero Seton himself turns out to be from Texas, although Wayne does not attempt a Texan accent. (Rogers does give Fletcher a Southern accent, but his efforts are undermined by the fact that Claire Trevor as his supposed sister sounds Northern and Porter Hall as their father Angus is definitely Scottish). This was the only film which Wayne and Rogers, both major Western icons, made together. It was also the only film Wayne made with director Raoul Walsh apart from "The Big Trail", Wayne's first leading role, from ten years earlier. It has its moments such as the scene near the end when Cantrell's gang attack the town of Lawrence, recreating an actual attack by Quantrill's Raiders. Too much time, however, is taken up with the romantic subplot, especially as Mary never seems a very sympathetic character. Seton may be prepared to overlook her obvious flaws such as her blatant attempts to pervert the course of justice to save her worthless brother or the lack of judgement which leads her to accept Cantrell as a husband. Audiences may be less charitable. In my view this will never really count as a major entry in Wayne's filmography. 5/10

Seton and Cantrell compete for both district marshal and pretty Mary McCloud on the eve of the Civil War.Generally, the results are uneven, probably due to three big-time leads, each of whom must get adequate screen time. I expect for little Republic, stars like Trevor and Pidgeon were more expensive than usual. However, the romantic triangle (Wayne-Trevor-Pidgeon) gets a lot of dialog time, too much for a title that promises lots of action. Still, Wayne is little short of terrific. It's before he became frozen into the tough-guy icon that didn't demand much besides a growl and a hard-eyed stare. But here, catch his first cozy talk with Trevor. His subtle reactions are perfectly calibrated, proving he could deliver sensitivity when called upon.Pidgeon too, is excellent as the commanding Cantrell, along with Gabby Hayes providing his usual comic relief and with teeth, no less. Except, I don't think I'll be making an appointment with him anytime soon. And, of course, there's a young Roy Rogers, making an apt impression in a role that's almost a lead, along with the severe Marjorie Main in an odd and inessential role. Anyway, Republic popped for a lot of extras, especially for the last battle scenes. So if the big action's a long time coming, it's worth waiting for. Then too, note how the script avoids denigrating either the Union or the Confederacy in the lead up to the big war. This was very much a feature of many 40's and 50's westerns. After all, a movie's going to be shown in Atlanta as well as New York.All in all, the film's as much an actor's showcase as it is an epic western, a movie of parts rather than well-blended whole. Nonetheless, in my book, it's John Wayne at his physical and histrionic best, totally convincing as the virile and unaffected young Seton. And if the 94- minutes is somewhat uneven, Wayne certainly is not.

ALTHOUGH WE ALL remember Republic Studios as the home of less than top notch film, there were some notable exceptions. The studio did have an occasional production or two that managed to pull itself up by its bootstraps from the classification of the "Bs". If not exactly an "A" Picture, this production of DARK COMMAND is definitely a high "B+" picture.THE MOVIE HAS so many amenities that were lacking in the typical Republic fare of Serials and "B" Picture Series Westerns. DARK COMMAND has a really fine cast. Clare Trevor, John Wayne, Walter Pidgeon, Roy Rogers, George "Gabby" Hayes, Porter Hall, Marjorie Main, Joe Sawyer, Helen Mac Kellar, Raymond Walburn, J. Farrell McDonald and Trevor Bardette head up an unusually large cast; especially for Republic.OF ALL OF the principal players in the cast, only Wayne, Rogers and Hayes were regulars at the "Thrill Factory"; as Republic was knick-named.SITTING IN THE chair and manning the megaphone was none other than Mr. Raoul Walsh; who had directed so many successful movies at Warner Brothers.AS FOR THE story, we have a freely adapted story from out of the old American History book. The place was "Bleeding" Kansas; which had been divided in violent clashes between Free and Slave state advocates for some time before the Civil War.DURING THE WAR, one William Cantrell did lead a large band of renegades in seditious rebellion against the establishment free State Government as well as against any Federal forces. Origially being endorsed by the Confederate States of America, Cantrell was eventually disowned and condemned by the South; before his being killed by Union Cavalry forces.THE STORY MAINTAINS enough of a connection to the History Books to make it seem to be authentic. It can surely be said to be no worse than two other of Raul Walsh Historical Dramas for its fanciful treatment of fact. Both Michael Curtiz's SANTA FE TRAIL and Walsh's THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON are prime examples of that.BUT THIS PRODUCTION still delivers the desired results in action, adventure and drama. And Los Angeles' Griffith Park never looked so good!