Blue Steel

1934 WesternAction 54 minutes Directed by Robert N. Bradbury

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About Blue Steel

John Carruthers, a U.S. marshal, is after the Polka Dot Bandit, who has taken $4,000. He is late to one theft. Sheriff Jake decides Carruthers is the thief and rides with him instead of jailing him. They hit a gang robbing a pack-mule train and pull Betty Mason out. Her father has just been killed. The town man Malgrove knows there is gold under the homesteaders' land and offers to buy it cheap while his men stop the supply wagons. Betty hears the plan. Malgrove's men take her. Carruthers and Jake say they will bring the supplies in. Malgrove means to kill them on the road.

Cast & crew

More about Blue Steel

Robert N. Bradbury wrote and directed. Paul Malvern produced it for Lone Star. Monogram released it on May 10, 1934. Archie Stout photographed it. Carl Pierson edited. Lee Zahler is credited with music. Wikipedia gives 54 minutes. John Wayne plays Carruthers. George Hayes plays the sheriff's side of the trail. Eleanor Hunt plays Betty. Yakima Canutt is in the gang. The British title is Stolen Goods. A later home-video edition was colorized and the soundtrack, including the dialogue, was redubbed.

Themes

  • a marshal mistaken for the bandit
  • gold under the homesteads
  • a supply wagon that has to get through
  • John Wayne
  • Polka Dot Bandit
  • Sheriff Jake
  • Malgrove
  • Lone Star
  • Blue Steel

Making

Bradbury shot the posse and the mule train around Lone Pine and the other California locations on the Lone Star list.

Look

Archie Stout photographed the mule-train robbery and the trail out of Lone Pine.

Music

Lee Zahler is credited with the music on the original. The colorized home-video copy uses a new dubbed track.

Preservation

Public domain. Several copies circulate, including a colorized edition with a redubbed soundtrack. The Internet Archive file is BlueSteel.

Notes

  • The stolen sum that starts the chase is $4,000.
  • Malgrove's offer to the ranchers is a cover for the gold under their land.
  • Edward Peil, Lafe McKee, George Cleveland, and Earl Dwire are in the cast lists.
  • The picture is in the public domain. A copy is on the Internet Archive as BlueSteel.
  • The colorized edition replaces the original track.

Scenes

  • Jake rides with the man he thinks robbed the safe.
  • Betty hears Malgrove's plan and is taken.

Also available

  • Internet Archive (BlueSteel)

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