A Man Betrayed ** (1941, John Wayne, Frances Dee, Edward Ellis) – Classic Movie Review 10,947

‘Fearless! Stalking his prey in a stronghold of corruption… Daring death for the woman he loves!’

Director John H Auer’s 1941 A Man Betrayed stars John Wayne, Frances Dee, Edward Ellis, Wallace Ford, and Ward Bond.

Republic Studios had some odd ideas of what to do with their big star. When they couldn’t hire John Wayne out to the major studios they put him into double-feature actioners like this one in which he plays Lynn Hollister, a country attorney trying to prove his girlfriend Sabra Cameron (Frances Dee)’s politician father Boss Tom Cameron (Edward Ellis) is crooked and that he has murdered Hollister’s friend.

The minor-league script does not do justice to the powerful theme, but it is interesting to see Wayne in a mystery drama, and the movie is entertaining enough as a time-passer. It is directed with commitment by respectable Hungarian-born B-movie-maker Auer.

Also in the cast are Edward Ellis, Wallace Ford, Ward Bond, Harold Huber, Barnett Parker, Alexander Granach, Edwin Stanley, Harry Hayden, Tim Ryan, Russell Hicks, Pierre Watkin, Ferris Taylor, Don Brodie, Jack Carr, Tristram Coffin, Joseph Crehan, Eddie Dean, Joe Devlin, Dick Elliott, Jack Herrick, Harry Strang, Charles Sullivan, and Minerva Urecal.

Writers: Isabel Dawn (screenplay), Jack Moffitt (original story) and Tom Kilpatrick (adaptation).

Republic Pictures really got their money’s worth out of their contract star and in 1953 even reissued this film in cinemas in a double bill with another Wayne Western, Lady from Louisiana (1941).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,947

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