Starring John Wayne! A former cowboy-turned-Marshal must save his town from criminals posing as Confederate soldiers.

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Dark Command

Stars John Wayne, Clair Trevor, Walter Pidgeon, Roy Rogers, and Gabby Hayes! INSP viewers will enjoy this film from notable director Raoul Walsh.

In 1861, honest cowboy Bob Seton beats William Cantrell, a schoolteacher, for the job as Marshal of Lawrence, Kansas. William is incensed and embittered by this loss, and despite his mother’s pleas to stay honest, he soon falls into a life of crime.

Meanwhile, newly transplanted Texan Bob Seton finds there’s a lot to like about his new town, including the beautiful daughter of the local banker, Mary McCloud. But Bob isn’t the only one in love with Mary; Will Cantrell loves her too.

What Bob and Mary do not know at this point is that fine, upstanding Will isn’t what he seems. He’s a criminal mastermind, operating a gun-running and slave-moving operation among the neighboring states.

When Mary’s younger brother, Fletch, kills a man for saying something terrible about their father, Bob arrests Fletch. Knowing that Bob loves her, Mary begs him to let Fletch go and even offers to marry him. But Bob knows that would be wrong, so he refuses her offer.

Seeing an opening, Will swoops in and promises to save Fletch. By day, he testifies about Fletch’s character in the courtroom. By night, he and his gang of criminals terrorize the jurors and threaten them to let Fletch go or else face the consequences. Fletcher is soon found not guilty and released.

When the Civil War breaks out, Will and his men put on Confederate uniforms and loot, pillage, and terrorize neighboring towns. Still grateful to Will for helping her brother get out of prison, and thinking that he is a good man, and an honest soldier, Mary agrees to marry him. Shortly after the wedding, he leaves her to rejoin his men and Mary thinks he has gone back to war.

Soon, everybody in the town (except for Mary) knows that Will is anything but a good man and a real soldier. All the townspeople turn on her for not seeing the truth. All, that is, except for Bob.

Now, it’s up to Bob and his posse to meet Will and his unruly outlaws for an epic fight. Can Bob help save the town and its people from the likes of Will?