Cross Fire (1933) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

A war hero takes on gangsters who have invaded a wild West town.

Cast & Crew

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Otto Brower

Tom Keene

Betty Furness

Edgar Kennedy

Edward Phillips

Stanley Blystone

Photos & Videos

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Cross Fire (1933) -- Dig In And Get Wise

Cross Fire (1933) -- To The Allies!

Film Details

Genre

Western

Crime

Release Date

Jun 30, 1933

Premiere Information

not available

Production Company

RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Distribution Company

RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Country

United States

Technical Specs

Duration

55m

Sound

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Film Length

6 reels

Synopsis

When Tom Allen, the youthful foreman of the Sierra Mining Company, enlists in the French Ambulance Corps during World War I, his fatherly employers--rancher Daniel Plummer, Mayor Charlie Rudorph, Dr. Miles P. Styles, Judge Whitney T. Wilson and banker Jonathan Wheeler--choose Bert King, the son of the mine's founder, to take over his job. Unknown to Tom and the board members, however, Bert has been using his position at the gold mine to augment his own bank account. While Tom is in France, Bert and his cohort Krueger repeatedly report losses at the mine, which rouses the suspicions of the five board members. Jonathan is sure that Bert has been stealing from the mine, and accuses him of theft and threatens to expose him. Cornered, Bert shoots and kills the banker, then frames Daniel with the crime. Convinced that Daniel will be railroaded by Bert, Charlie, Miles and the judge "spring" him from jail and go into hiding, surviving by robbing their own gold mine shipments. A year later, Tom returns from France with his friend, taxi driver Ed Wimpy, and, at the urging of Sheriff Jim Wells, becomes a deputy in order to retrieve the old men. Tom, who is in love with Daniel's daughter Pat, quickly tracks down the fugitives and convinces them to turn themselves in, promising them a fair trial and sure vindication. When the group arrives in town, however, they discover that Bert, who has since been elected mayor, has appointed Krueger the new sheriff. That night, Ed overhears Krueger and his men discussing a planned lynching party for the old men and rushes to warn Tom. While Ed participates in an impromptu boxing match to distract the townspeople, Tom frees the old men from jail and, pursued by Krueger and his gang, leads them to Mexico. Later, Krueger deduces that Bert is fleeing town with the gold profits and is shot by his deceitful partner. When Tom and Ed then learn that Bert has purchased a machine gun to protect the gold shipments and that the old men are planning one last raid, they dash to stop the ambush and save the old men from sure destruction. Condemned by Krueger, who has survived his wounds, Bert is arrested, and once Daniel is cleared of all charges, Tom marries Pat.

Director

Otto Brower

Cast

Tom Keene

Betty Furness

Edgar Kennedy

Edward Phillips

Stanley Blystone

Lafe Mckee

Jules Cowles

Judge [Whitney T.] Wilson

Thomas Brower

Charles Rudorph

Nick Cogley

Doc [Miles P.] Styles

Murdock Macquarrie

Sheriff [Jim] Wells

Charles K. French

Jonathan Wheeler

Kid Wagner

Fighter ["One Round" McGraw]

Crew

Carroll Clark

Merian C. Cooper

Executive Producer

Fred Knudtson

David Lewis

Associate Producer

Ray Lissner

Assistant Director

Tom Macnamara

Additional Dialogue

Hugh Mcdowell Jr.

Nicholas Musuraca

Harold Shumate

Story and Screenplay

Videos

Cross Fire (1933) -- Dig In And Get Wise First scene for hero Tom Keene (as mine manager "Tom Allen"), demonstrating his trust in aide Bert (Edward Phillips), who maybe doesn't deserve it, in the Merian C. Cooper B-Western Cross Fire, 1933.

Cross Fire (1933) -- To The Allies! Principals of the Sierra Mining Company (Charles K. French, Nick Cogley, Jules Cowles, Thomas Brower, Lafe McKee) introduce themselves, opening the RKO/Tom Keene Western programmer Cross Fire, 1933.

Film Details

Genre

Western

Crime

Release Date

Jun 30, 1933

Premiere Information

not available

Production Company

RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Distribution Company

RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Country

United States

Technical Specs

Duration

55m

Sound

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Film Length

6 reels

Articles

Cross Fire (1933)

January 25, 2011

In the B-Western Cross Fire (1933) Tom Keene stars as Tom Allen, a young foreman at the Sierra Mining Company, which is owned by five local businessmen. When Tom is called to fight in World War I, his duties are handed over to Bert King (Edward Phillips), the son of the mine's founder. Unbeknownst to everyone, Bert starts cooking the company books in an effort to pad his own bank account. When one of the company bosses gets wise to Bert's shady activities, his murder sends his partners into hiding. Upon Tom's return from military service, he must locate the men and help bring Bert to justice.

Cross Fire was the last in a series of twelve low budget westerns that actor Tom Keene made for RKO in the early 1930s. One of the lesser known Western stars of his day, Keene played different characters in his films with a different look each time, making him less recognizable to audiences than some of his Western star peers.

The strong supporting cast includes Edgar Kennedy, Lafe McKee, Charles K. French and Betty Furness as Keene's love interest Pat.

Producer: David O. Selznick (uncredited)
Director: Otto Brower
Screenplay: Harold Shumate (story and screenplay); Tom MacNamara (additional dialogue)
Cinematography: Nicholas Musuraca
Art Direction: Carroll Clark (uncredited)
Film Editing: Fred Knudtson
Cast: Tom Keene (Tom 'Jack' Allen), Betty Furness (Pat 'Mike' Plummer), Edgar Kennedy (Ed Wimpy), Edward Phillips (Bert King), Stanley Blystone (Henchman Kreuger), Lafe McKee (Daniel 'Pop' Plummer), Jules Cowles (Judge Whitney T. Wilson/Judge Frederick A. Wilson), Thomas Brower (Charles 'Charlie' Rudorph), Nick Cogley (Doc Milas P. Stiles), Murdock MacQuarrie (Sheriff Jim Wells).
BW-56m.

by Andrea Passafiume

Cross Fire (1933)

Cross Fire (1933)

In the B-Western Cross Fire (1933) Tom Keene stars as Tom Allen, a young foreman at the Sierra Mining Company, which is owned by five local businessmen. When Tom is called to fight in World War I, his duties are handed over to Bert King (Edward Phillips), the son of the mine's founder. Unbeknownst to everyone, Bert starts cooking the company books in an effort to pad his own bank account. When one of the company bosses gets wise to Bert's shady activities, his murder sends his partners into hiding. Upon Tom's return from military service, he must locate the men and help bring Bert to justice. Cross Fire was the last in a series of twelve low budget westerns that actor Tom Keene made for RKO in the early 1930s. One of the lesser known Western stars of his day, Keene played different characters in his films with a different look each time, making him less recognizable to audiences than some of his Western star peers. The strong supporting cast includes Edgar Kennedy, Lafe McKee, Charles K. French and Betty Furness as Keene's love interest Pat. Producer: David O. Selznick (uncredited) Director: Otto Brower Screenplay: Harold Shumate (story and screenplay); Tom MacNamara (additional dialogue) Cinematography: Nicholas Musuraca Art Direction: Carroll Clark (uncredited) Film Editing: Fred Knudtson Cast: Tom Keene (Tom 'Jack' Allen), Betty Furness (Pat 'Mike' Plummer), Edgar Kennedy (Ed Wimpy), Edward Phillips (Bert King), Stanley Blystone (Henchman Kreuger), Lafe McKee (Daniel 'Pop' Plummer), Jules Cowles (Judge Whitney T. Wilson/Judge Frederick A. Wilson), Thomas Brower (Charles 'Charlie' Rudorph), Nick Cogley (Doc Milas P. Stiles), Murdock MacQuarrie (Sheriff Jim Wells). BW-56m. by Andrea Passafiume

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