The Lawless Frontier

The Lawless Frontier
The Lawless Frontier
	Theatrical poster
Directed by	Robert N. Bradbury
Screenplay by	Robert North Bradbury
Starring	John Wayne; Sheila Terry; George "Gabby" Hayes; Earl Dwire;
Cinematography	Archie Stout
Edited by
Distributed by	Monogram Pictures
Release date	November 22, 1934;
Running time	59 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Lawless Frontier is a 1934 American Monogram Western film directed by Robert N. Bradbury and starring John Wayne, Sheila Terry, George "Gabby" Hayes, and Earl Dwire. It was the tenth of the Lone Star westerns. The picture was made on a budget of $11,000, shot in less than a week at Red Rock Canyon north of Los Angeles, and released by Monogram on Nov. 22, 1934.^[1] The film remains an unusual showcase for Earl Dwire in the lead villain's role.

Plot[]

Zanti, a wanted outlaw, plots to kill a rancher named Dusty in order to steal his land and his daughter Ruby. Dusty outsmarts Zanti, however, by hiding Ruby on a pack mule and smuggling her safely past the outlaw. While they are pursued by Zanti, Ruby and Dusty meet John Tobin, who is returning to his home town after an eight-year absence. John, who is hunting Zanti for murdering his parents, saves Ruby from drowning as she and Dusty try to cross the river. The group returns to the ranch accompanied by the sheriff, who arrests Zanti. The outlaw escapes, however, and stabs Dusty with John's knife. The sheriff arrests John, but Dusty recovers and frees John, who then pursues Zanti. At the end of a long chase across the desert, Zanti stops to drink from a poison water well and dies. While Dusty discovers that the sheriff is involved with Zanti's gang, Ruby goes riding and is captured by the gang. Once again John saves her and, with Dusty's help, captures Zanti's gang by trapping them in an old mine tunnel. John marries Ruby and takes over as the new sheriff.