Winds of the Wasteland

Infobox Film
name = Winds of the Wasteland


caption =
director = Mack V. Wright
producer = Nat Levine
writer = Joseph F. Poland
starring = John Wayne/Phyllis Serf
music = Arthur Kay/Heinz Roemheld/Paul Van Loan
cinematography = William Nobles
editing = Robert Jahns
stunts = Yakima Canutt/Tracy Layne/Cliff Lyons/Francis Walker/ Joe Yrigoyen
distributor = Republic Pictures
released = June 15, 1936
runtime = 54 minutes
country = USA
language = English
budget =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0028510

Winds of the Wasteland (1936) is a western film, starring John Wayne and Phyllis Serf. The film was directed by Mack V. Wright, and was released by Republic Pictures, not to be confused with Republic serials.

Plot

The film is set in 1861. John Blair (Wayne) and his partner, Larry Adams (Lane Chandler) are dismayed when the arrival of telegraph ends the Pony Express. They pay Cal Drake (Douglas Cosgrove), a price for Crescent City's telegraph line and equipment, but the only residents of Crescent City are the mayor, Rocky O'Brien (Lew Kelly), and Dr. William Forsythe (Sam Flint). Every time a new resident moves in, O'Brien changes the population on the blackboard sign in town. John determines that he will operate the line and learns that a coach race will be staged and he signs up for it. The fastest team in the race will win a $50,000 government contract. The telegraph crew, who was saved by poisoning from John after drinking from a local water hole, offers to run the line through Crescent City if John will give them laborers to build the telegraph line.

John is able to get laborers to build the telegraph line and the population of Crescent City begins to skyrocket. Drake then decides to hire John to drive a gold shipment to Sacramento, and then ambush him. He hires him $1,000. John escapes the ambush and collects the money at gunpoint. Drake is dishonest and his henchman, Smoky help to throw obstacles in John's way and will defeat him by any means necessary. They begin sabotaging the telegraph lines by setting them on fire. John's place in the stagecoach race is also hampered by a skunk, who lives in the stagecoach, which is being raced. But despite all odds, John wins the race and the $50,000 reward.

Cast

* John Wayne - John Blair
* Phyllis Cerf - Barbara Forsythe
* Lew Kelly - Mayor Rocky O'Brien
* Douglas Cosgrove - Cal Drake (Buchanan Stage Line)
* Lane Chandler - Larry Adams (Blair's partner)
* Sam Flint - Dr. William 'Doc' Forsythe
* Bob Kortman - Cherokee Joe (henchman)
* Ed Cassidy - Mr. Dodge (Pony Express manager)
* Jon Hall - Jim (Pony Express rider)
* Merrill McCormick - Henchman Pete
* Christian J. Frank - Telegraph crew chief
* Jack Rockwell - Buchanan City Marshal
* Arthur Millett - Postmaster In Buchanan City
* Tracy Layne - Reed

ee also

* John Wayne filmography (1926-1940)

External links

*imdb title|id=0028510|title=Winds of the Wasteland