When the Daltons Rode (1940)

33% of users liked it
(867 ratings)

When the Daltons Rode is the much-embellished tale of that celebrated outlaw family, the Daltons. Broderick Crawford, Brian Donlevy, Stu Erwin and Frank Albertson play the gunslinging brothers, with Mary Gordon on hand as Ma Dalton. In the tradition of the 1939 western Jesse James, the film… More When the Daltons Rode is the much-embellished tale of that celebrated outlaw family, the Daltons. Broderick Crawford, Brian Donlevy, Stu Erwin and Frank Albertson play the gunslinging brothers, with Mary Gordon on hand as Ma Dalton. In the tradition of the 1939 western Jesse James, the film whitewashes the Daltons, showing them being forced into committing their crimes by duplicitous railroad interests. There's plenty of comic banter and byplay until about twenty minutes from the end; then the film becomes a nonstop marathon of action, halted only by the Daltons' fateful (and for the most part fatal) bank robbery in Coffeyville, Kansas. Randolph Scott is the nominal hero, a lawyer who befriends the boys and tries to dissuade them from their life of crime. When the Daltons Rode ends with all four brothers dead as doornails--even though the script was based on the autobiography of the surviving Dalton! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: George Marshall
Written By: Harold Shumate
Genres: Western, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1940 Wide
On DVD: Jun 1, 2004

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
One of the best made B-Westerns.

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Average western with a cast full of familiar faces but nothing special. What is Kay Francis, the essence of urban sophistication, doing in this routine oater? Sliding down the Hollywood ladder that's what. After years at the top she quarreled with the brothers Warner over money… More
Average western with a cast full of familiar faces but nothing special. What is Kay Francis, the essence of urban sophistication, doing in this routine oater? Sliding down the Hollywood ladder that's what. After years at the top she quarreled with the brothers Warner over money and they effectively finished her career. Here she is mid slide, freelancing at Universal and whatever studio would offer her work, she had one good part ahead in The Feminine Touch at MGM with Rosalind Russell than it was a series of junk until she ended up at poverty row studio Monogram for three minor films and a fall into obscurity and reclusiveness.

Cast

            Randolph Scott as Tom Jackson

            Kay Francis as Julie King

            Brian Donlevy as Grat Dalton

            George Bancroft as Caleb Winters

            Broderick Crawford as Bob Dalton

            Stuart Erwin as Ben Dalton

            Andy Devine as Ozark

            Frank Albertson as Emmett Dalton

            Mary Gordon as Ma Dalton

            Harvey Stephens as Rigby

            Edgar Dearing as Sheriff

            Quen Ramsey as Wilson

            Dorothy Granger as Nancy

            Fay McKenzie as Hannah

            Walter Soderling as Judge Swain

            Mary Ainslee as Minnie

            Erville Alderson as District Attorney Wade

            Sally Payne as Annabella

            June Wilkins as Suzy

            Edgar Buchanan as Man at Livery Stable

            Jack Clifford as Deputy

            Harry Cording as Sam Fleeson

            Kernan Cripps as Freight Agent

            Robert Dudley as Juror Pete Norris

            William Gould
            
            Tom London as Lyncher

            Walter Long as Deputies on Train

            Lafe [Lafayette] McKee as Doctor

            Bob McKenzie as Photographer

            Dorothy Moore as Girl

            James C. Morton as Juror Ed Pickett

            Russell Powell as Engineer

            Pat West as Pete the Restaurant Owner

            George Guhl as Deputy in Baggage Car

            Ed Brady
            
            Bob Reeves as Henchman

            John Beck as Native
See full cast