Do You Remember the Only Film Starring Both John Wayne & Roy Rogers?
Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys and John Wayne, the Duke, were both American Western movie icons. It is almost hard to believe that they only collaborated on one film during both of their careers: the 1940 classic Dark Command. Dark Command follows Texan Bob Seton (Wayne) who moves to Lawrence, Kansas, in the midst of the Civil War.
Meanwhile, Mary McCloud (Claire Trevor) marries a seemingly peaceful man named William Cantrell (Walter Pidgeon) before discovering that he is an outlaw leader who attacks both sides during the Civil War. Rogers plays Mary’s brother, Fletcher McCloud, who joins up with his sister and her ex-lover Seton to warn the town of upcoming attacks by Cantrell’s gang.
Everett Collection
The movie was loosely based on Quantrill’s Raiders during the American Civil War and inspired by the novel by W. R. Burnett. Dark Command showcases the amazing dynamic between Wayne and Rogers as their characters portray two different types of Western-era personas. Wayne’s character symbolizes the American dream and a quest for justice while Rogers’ character has to undergo a journey to find good and destroy evil, especially when things are not always so clear. Although the film has some dark elements, there are lighter moments of comic relief, making it a well-rounded classic.
Everett Collection
Despite some historical inaccuracies (we must remember the film came out in the early 1940s), it is still one of the best Westerns of the time, starring two of the genre’s greats. It was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Victor Young’s musical score and John Victor Mackay’s art direction.
If you’re interested in watching it, you can stream it now on Tubi in the United States.
Have you seen Dark Command? Can you believe this was Rogers and Wayne’s only collaboration? Share your thoughts about it with us in the comments!
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Wild West- Heroes & Villains
November 2022
Celebrates the unique sense of justice, compassion and adventure in the Old West as seen on TV and in the movies
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