Nevada

1927 Western 67 minutes Directed by John Waters

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About Nevada

Nevada, a gunfighter, breaks his friend Cash Burridge out of the Lineville jail. In Winthrop they take jobs on the ranch of Ben Ide, an Englishman they have already saved from Cawthorne's rustlers. Ide hires Nevada to guard his sister Hettie, which angers foreman Clan Dillon, who wants her himself. Dillon tells the sheriff about Nevada's past. Nevada and Cash fall in with Cawthorne, not knowing Dillon runs that gang. Dillon shoots Cash and Cawthorne. A posse arrives, Cawthorne names Dillon, and Nevada, his name cleared, marries Hettie.

Cast & crew

More about Nevada

John Waters directed. John Stone and Gordon Rigby wrote the scenario from Zane Grey's novel Nevada, and John W. Conway wrote the intertitles. Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky presented it. New York opening was August 8, 1927. Paramount's general release and copyright LP24393 are dated September 10, 1927. The negative is 6,258 feet, seven reels.

Themes

  • A gunfighter hired as a guard
  • A foreman who is the rustler
  • A name cleared so he can marry
  • Nevada
  • Hettie Ide
  • Clan Dillon
  • Cash Burridge
  • rustlers
  • Zane Grey
  • Winthrop

Making

Waters shot parts of the Western in Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Cedar Breaks. Charles Edgar Schoenbaum was the cinematographer. Louis D. Lighton was the editorial supervisor.

Look

Charles Edgar Schoenbaum photographed the ranch and canyon scenes in black and white, 1.33:1.

Preservation

A complete copy survives, including a 16mm reduction positive. The Library of Congress and George Eastman House hold prints. Silent Era lists the film as public domain in the United States. The picture is worn.

Notes

  • Gary Cooper is Nevada. Thelma Todd is Hettie Ide. William Powell is Clan Dillon. Philip Strange is Ben Ide.
  • Ernie Adams plays Cash Burridge. Christian J. Frank is the Winthrop sheriff. Guy Oliver is the Lineville sheriff. Ivan Christy is Cawthorne.
  • The main title on the film reads Zane Grey's Nevada.
  • Paramount remade it in 1935 with Buster Crabbe, and RKO remade it in 1944 with Robert Mitchum in his first lead.
  • The 1944 version is the only case of Cooper and Mitchum playing the same role in two films of one story.

Scenes

  • Nevada lifts Cash out of the Lineville jail.
  • Dillon shoots Cash during a raid, and the dying man tells Nevada who gives the orders.
  • A posse takes Dillon after Cawthorne identifies him.

Influenced by

  • Nevada (Zane Grey novel)

Influenced

  • Nevada (1935)
  • Nevada (1944)