West of the Divide (1934} Director: Robert N. Bradbury Studio: Lone Star Productions / Monogram Pictures (distributor) Starring: John Wayne, Virginia Faire Brown, George “Gabby” Hayes, Lloyd Whitlock, Yakima Canutt, Lafe McKee Release Date: January 15, 1934 Runtime: 54 minutes Format: Black-and-white, sound Country: United States Language: English Genres: Western Summary: Ted Hayden, seeking revenge for his father’s murder, impersonates an outlaw to infiltrate a ruthless gang. Along the way, he discovers his long-lost brother Spud, who is being held captive by the villains. With courage and determination, Ted fights to free his brother, restore justice, and bring peace to the land. Background: West of the Divide is an early John Wayne B-Western, produced during his years with Monogram Pictures and directed by Robert N. Bradbury, who frequently collaborated with Wayne. At just under an hour, it was designed as part of the quick, affordable Westerns of the 1930s that catered to audiences craving straightforward tales of justice and frontier heroism. The film is notable for showcasing Wayne’s developing screen persona as the archetypal Western hero. Trivia: The film is now in the public domain and widely available for free viewing. John Wayne was only in his mid-20s when he starred in this picture. Stunt legend Yakima Canutt appears in the cast, contributing to the film’s action sequences. George “Gabby” Hayes, who later became one of the most famous Western sidekicks, plays a supporting role here. Hashtags: #WestOfTheDivide #JohnWayne #RobertNBradbury #BWestern #ClassicWestern #PublicDomainFilm