Destry Rides Again ** (1932, Tom Mix, Claudia Dell, ZaSu Pitts, Francis Ford) – Classic Movie Review 12,340

The 1932 Western film Destry Rides Again is a Tom Mix quickie vehicle – starring in his first talking picture – and an early sound version of the famous Max Brand story, the first of four films.

Director Benjamin Stoloff’s 1932 American pre-Code Western film of Destry Rides Again is a quickie Tom Mix vehicle and an early sound version of the famous Max Brand story.

It is Tom Mix’s sound film debut and is an interesting curio, and quite well done of its kind, but of course it a bit of an antique, creaky at the joints.

Tom Destry (Mix) has been framed for a crime he didn’t commit and returns to wreak havoc after his release from prison, out for revenge on Tom Brent (Earle Foxe), his ex-pardner who framed him.

The  story was also filmed in 1939 and 1954, as Destry Rides Again and Destry, each time by George Marshall, with the 1939 James Stewart-Marlene Dietrich Destry Rides Again version being the definitive one, and by far the most famous. The 1939 film has little connection with Max Brand’s novel other than the title, so it is ironic then that it is that film that keeps Max Brand’s 1930 novel in print. It was also filmed as Frenchie with Joel McCrea (1950).

The cast includes Claudia Dell, ZaSu Pitts, and Francis Ford.

It is sometimes called Justice Rides Again on TV to avoid confusion with the 1939 film.

Destry Rides Again is directed by Benjamin Stoloff [Ben Stoloff], runs 61 minutes, is made and released by Universal, is written by Isadore Bernstein (continuity), Robert Keith (dialogue) and Richard Schayer (adaptation), is shot in black and white by Daniel B Clark, is produced by Carl Laemmle Jr and Stanley Bergerman.

Phil Karlson [Phil Karlstein] is assistant director.

The cast are Tom Mix as Tom Destry, Claudia Dell as Sally Dangerfield, ZaSu Pitts as Temperance Worker, Stanley Fields as Sheriff Jerry Wendell, Earle Foxe as Tom Brent, Edward Peil Sr as Frank Warren, Francis Ford as Judd Ogden, Fred Howard as Edward Clifton, George Ernest as Willie, Edward LeSaint as Mr Dangerfield, Charles K French as Jury Foreman, Harry Tenbrook as Barfly, and Chris-Pin Martin as Lopez.

Andy Devine played a Stage Passenger but his scene was deleted.

Tony the Wonder Horse plays Tom’s horse.

Destry Rides Again was published in 1930 as Twelve Peers in installments in Frank Blackwell’s Western Story Magazine, then in paperback later in 1930 as Destry Rides Again. It is not a sequel story: ‘again’ refers to Destry’s returned freedom to ride after being freed from jail. Four film versions were made between 1932 and 1954 owing little to the novel other than their name. The plots are unrelated to Brand’s story and Destry’s first name is also changed to Tom. Destry Rides Again (1932) starring Tom Mix, Destry Rides Again (1939) starring James Stewart, Frenchie with Joel McCrea (1950) and Destry (1954) with Audie Murphy.

It was made into a Broadway musical in 1959 and a TV series starring John Gavin as Harrison Destry ran for 13 weeks in 1964.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,340

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