Blue Steel - 1934 [Kosjeyr]

Blue Steel is a 1934 Western film in which John Wayne plays a U.S. Marshal who is trying to capture the Polka Dot Bandit, who has taken off with $4,000.

The film is also sometimes referred to as An Innocent Man or Stolen Goods in the USA.



Wayne plays John Carruthers, an undercover US Marshal, but we don't know that until well into the film. He appears to be in town investigating a string of robberies committed by the Polka Dot Bandit (Yakima Canutt), but when he's a little late in discovering one of the Bandit's latest thefts, Sheriff Jake (George "Gabby" Hayes) thinks he's the thief. For some reason, instead of arresting him, Jake accompanies him on his journey; after all, as Wayne says, "It's kind of lonesome trailing alone." The two stumble upon a gang robbing a pack-mule train; they rescue the beautiful Betty Mason (Eleanor Hunt), whose father has just been killed by the bandits. She and her father were bringing desperately needed provisions to town, but the bandits have successfully cut off any supplies, forcing the townspeople to consider fleeing their homes or starving to death.

It turns out that the local rich man, with the very meaningful name of Malgrove (Edward Peil Sr.), is behind the robberies. He knows there's a vein of gold underneath the homesteaders' property, and he offers out of the kindness of his heart to purchase their land for a pittance. B-movie bad guys have a tendency to crow about their evil plans without checking to see if anyone is hiding nearby, and when the grieving Betty overhears his plans, Malgrove and his henchmen kidnap her. Carruthers and Jake offer to make one last attempt to bring supplies in, and Malgrove et al. make plans to murder them.

Cast

John Wayne as John Carruthers
Eleanor Hunt as Betty Mason
George "Gabby" Hayes as Sheriff Jake Withers
Edward Peil Sr. as Malgrove (as Edward Peil)
Yakima Canutt as Danti, the Polka Dot Bandit
Lafe McKee as Dan Mason
George Cleveland as Hank, innkeeper
Earl Dwire as Henchman