Dakota ** (1945, John Wayne, Vera Ralston, Walter Brennan) – Classic Movie Review 6744

Producer-director Joseph Kane’s robustly performed, competently handled but unfocused and unexciting 1945 Republic studios Western stars John Wayne, Vera [Hruba] Ralston and Walter Brennan.

John Wayne stars as sagebrush drifter John Devlin, who falls for railroad pioneer tycoon Marko Poli (Hugo Haas)’s daughter, Sandy (Vera Ralston), then weds and makes off to Dakota with her.  Then they get embroiled amidst a territorial battle between crooks and farmers.

A fine collection of Western character actors gives Dakota a real lift and, of course, it is a must for Wayne’s many fans. But an apparently uncommitted Wayne, reportedly at loggerheads with his co-star Ralston, is not seen at his best.

Also in the cast are Ward Bond, Ona Munson, Mike Mazurki, Paul Fix, Grant Withers, Jack LaRue, Olive Blakeney, Robert Livingston, Olin Howlin, Pierre Watkin, Robert H Barrat, Jonathan Hale, Robert Blake, Paul Hurst, Sara Padden, George Cleveland, Selmer Jackson and Roy Barcroft.

Dakota is directed by Joseph Kane, runs 82 minutes, is distributed by Republic, is written by Lawrence Hazard and Howard Estabrook, is shot in black and white by Jack Marta is produced by Joseph Kane, is scored by Walter Scharf and designed by Russel Kimball.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6744

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