''Only the Brave'' is a 1930 American

Pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

Civil War

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Frank Tuttle Frank Wright Tuttle (August 6, 1892 – January 6, 1963) was a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film director and writer who directed films from 1922 (''The Cradle Buster'') to 1959 (''Island of Lost Women''). Biography Frank Tuttle wa ...

and starring

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

Mary Brian Mary Brian (born Louise Byrdie Dantzler, February 17, 1906 – December 30, 2002) was an American actress who made the transition from silent films to sound films. Early life Brian was born in Corsicana, Texas, the daughter of Taurrence J. ...

, and

Phillips Holmes Phillips Raymond Holmes (July 22, 1907 – August 12, 1942) was an American actor. For his contributions to the film industry, he was posthumously given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Early life, education and career Born in ...

. Written by Agnes Brand Leahy, Edward E. Paramore Jr., Keene Thompson, and Richard H. Digges Jr., the film is about a Union Army captain who travels into Confederate territory as a spy with false dispatches hoping to mislead the Confederate forces. His mission is complicated when he falls in love with a southern woman who comes to his aid. Produced by Hector Turnbull for

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

, ''Only the Brave'' was released on March 8, 1930 in the United States.

Plot

During the American Civil War, Capt. James Braydon (

) visits his sweetheart and finds her with another man. Angered by the betrayal, he volunteers to become a spy for the Union. His first assignment involves carrying false military dispatches behind enemy lines and allow them to be discovered by Confederate Army officers in order to mislead them. Braydon sets off on his dangerous mission. Pretending to be a Confederate sympathizer in possession of vital Union plans, Braydon arrives at the plantation of a beautiful southern belle, Barbara Calhoun (

), who has organized a ball for Confederate officers. At the ball, Braydon openly flirts with his gracious host in order to make one of the Confederate officers, Capt. Robert Darrington (

), jealous. Darrington is in love with Barbara, and Braydon believes that if he can make him jealous, he will be arrested and his fraudulent dispatches will be discovered. Braydon's plan is disrupted, however, by Barbara who comes to his defense, and soon falls in love with him. In the coming days, Barbara continues to save Braydon from being arrested, even after she discovers that he is a Union spy. Each time he attempts to get arrested, she intervenes and arranges for his release. Finally, Braydon leaps from a window and is captured by the Confederates, who discover the fraudulent dispatches and soon act on them. Later, after they discover that the dispatches were a deception, they order Braydon executed by firing squad. Just before the sentence can be carried out, the Union Army arrives, and in the subsequent battle, Braydon is saved, although seriously wounded. Barbara is there to comfort him. Sometime later, after

General Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of North ...

surrenders at Appomattox Court House to end the war, Barbara and Braydon are married in a military wedding.

Cast

as Capt. James Braydon *

as Barbara Calhoun *

as Capt. Robert Darrington * James Neill as Vance Calhoun *

Morgan Farley Francis Morgan Farley (October 3, 1898 – October 11, 1988) was an American actor on the stage and in films and television. Career His theatrical career began in 1918 in the stage adaptation of Booth Tarkington's ''Seventeen''. He recrea ...

as Lt. Tom Wendell *

Guy Oliver George Guy Oliver (September 25, 1878 – September 1, 1932) was an American actor. He appeared in at least 189 silent film era motion pictures and 32 talkies in character roles between 1911 and 1931. His obituary gives him credit for at l ...

as Gen.

U.S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

* John Elliott as Gen.

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...

E. H. Calvert Elisha Helm Calvert (born William Helm; June 27, 1863 – October 5, 1941) was an American film actor and director. He appeared in more than 170 films, as well as directing a further 60 titles. Biography He was born William Helm in Madison, Wi ...

as The Colonel *

Virginia Bruce Virginia Bruce (born Helen Virginia Briggs; September 29, 1910 – February 24, 1982) was an American actress and singer. Early life Bruce was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As an infant she moved with her parents, Earil and Margaret Briggs, ...

as Elizabeth *Elda Voelkel as Lucy Cameron *William Le Maire as The Sentry *

Freeman Wood Freeman Wood (July 1, 1896 – February 15, 1956) was an American character actor of the silent and sound film eras. Biography Born in 1896 in Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous cit ...

as Elizabeth's Lover *

Lalo Encinas Ladislao "Lalo" Encinas (June 27, 1886 – May 5, 1959) was an American character actor active in Hollywood from the 1910s through the 1950s. He was noted as one of few Apache actors working in the motion picture industry by contemporaneous repo ...

as Gen. Grant's Secretary

Production

''Only the Brave'' was filmed at Paramount Studios at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. The films stars,

and

, also appeared together in '' The Virginian'' (1929).

Critical response

''Only the Brave'' received positive reviews upon its theatrical release. In the ''Reading Eagle'', the reviewer wrote that Cooper's performance in the film was "far better" than his "previously satisfactory best" in ''The Virginian''. The reviewer continued: The reviewer also felt that Mary Brian was effective in reprising her role as Cooper's love interest, as she did in ''The Virginian''.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Only The Brave 1930 films 1930s American films 1930s English-language films 1930s historical films American black-and-white films American Civil War films American historical films Films directed by Frank Tuttle Films scored by John Leipold Paramount Pictures films