RED RIVER VALLEY aka Man of the Frontier (1936) Gene Autry & Frances Grant | Drama, Western | B&W

Red River Valley, later retitled Man of the Frontier for American television screening, is a 1936 American Western film directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and Frances Grant. Written by Dorrell and Stuart E. McGowan, the film is about a "ditch rider" and his sidekick who set out to find out who has been causing the accidents at a dam construction site.

SYNOPSIS
Gene and Frog set out to find out who has been causing the accidents at a dam construction site.

In Red River Valley, Banker Hartley Moore (Frank LaRue) schemes to sabotage the efforts of citizens to secure water rights in order to win water profits for himself. Following the murder of five men who were overseeing the completion of an irrigation system, Gene Autry (Gene Autry) is hired for the dangerous job of "ditch rider", in charge of patrolling the ditches to prevent malfunction or sabotage.

At the Red River Land and Irrigation Company, Steve Conway (Boothe Howard) works for Mary Baxter (Frances Grant) and her father, George Baxter (Sam Flint). Jealous of Mary's attention towards Gene, Conway joins Moore in his scheming actions and hires Bull Dural and his gang to dynamite the water gates and kill the ditch riders.

On his first night on the job, Gene and his friend Frog Millhouse (Smiley Burnette) are almost killed. They apprehend Bull's henchmen and turn them over to the sheriff. Conway and Bull then rob the payroll, accuse Gene of the crime, and encourage Baxter's workmen to revolt by destroying the dam. Gene and Frog go after Bull, while Baxter and the railroad conductor hold off the men at the dam until Gene arrives with Bull and the payroll.

CAST & CREW
Gene Autry as Gene Autry
Smiley Burnette as Frog Millhouse
Frances Grant as Mary Baxter
Boothe Howard as Steve Conway
Jack Kennedy as Mike, the Train Engineer
Champion as Gene's Horse
Sam Flint as George Baxter
George Chesebro as Bull Dural, Conway's Henchman
Charles King as Sam, Bull's Dupe
Eugene Jackson as Iodine
Edward Hearn as Sheriff Ed
Frank LaRue as Banker Hartley Moore
Ken Cooper as Henchman Long
Frankie Marvin as Henchman Becker

Directed by B. Reeves Eason
Written by Dorrell McGowan, Stuart E. McGowan
Cinematography William Nobles
Edited by Carl Pierson
Production company Republic Pictures
Distributed by Republic Pictures
Release date March 2, 1936 (U.S.)
Running time 59 minutes
Country United States
Language English