CAVALRY (1936) Bob Steele, Francis Grant & Karl Hackett | Western | B&W

Cavalry is a 1936 American Western film produced by A.W. Hackel, written and directed by Robert N. Bradbury and starring his son Bob Steele.

SYNOPSIS
Just after the Civil War, Captain Thorn is sent west to help protect the new telegraph line that is under construction. Leeds is out to establish an independent nation in the west and tries stop its construction and also incoming wagon trains by inciting the Indians to attack both of them.

Following General Lee's surrender, Colonel Lafe Harvey, CSA returns to the family plantation to inform his niece Betty Lee that her father, General John Harvey, CSA was killed in a river during a battle. At that moment former guerillas have turned to brigandage where they attack and burn the plantation. Col. Harvey shoots one of them who attempt to attack a female slave. After the skirmish, where their plantation home has been burned to the ground, the Colonel and Betty Lee inform the freed slaves that they will take a wagon train to the West.

Shortly afterwards, Union Army Lieutenant Ted Thorn brings a blinded General Harvey home, as one last favour, the General asks Ted the inform his brother and his daughter of his return. The General does not know the man who saved his life was a Union officer until one of the ex-slaves tells him so.

Lt. Thorn meets President Abraham Lincoln who promotes him to Captain in the US Army and sends him on an undercover mission to stop a new republic from being formed in the West. The same former guerrillas who burned the Harvey plantation are amongst the plotters who consort with the Indians to act as a buffer state for them.

CAST & CREW
Bob Steele as Captain Ted Thorn
Frances Grant as Betty Lee Harvey
Karl Hackett as Gavin Rance
Hal Price as Horace Leeds
Earle Ross as Colonel Lafe Harvey
Ed Cassidy as Henchman Bart Haines
William Welsh as General John Harvey
Budd Buster as Wagon Boss Jake / President Lincoln

Directed by Robert N. Bradbury
Written by Robert N. Bradbury (story), George H. Plympton (screenplay)
Produced by A.W. Hackel
Cinematography Bert Longenecker
Edited by S. Roy Luby
Distributed by Republic Pictures
Release date October 5, 1936
Running time 63 minutes
Country United States
Language English