''The Border Legion'' is a

lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

1924 American silent

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by

William K. Howard William K. Howard (June 16, 1899 – February 21, 1954) was an American film director, writer, and producer. Considered one of Hollywood's leading directors, he directed over 50 films from 1921 to 1946, including '' The Thundering Herd'' (1925), ...

and starring

Antonio Moreno Antonio Garrido Monteagudo (September 26, 1887 – February 15, 1967), better known as Antonio Moreno or Tony Moreno, was a Spanish-born American actor and film director of the silent film era and through the 1950s. Early life and silent fi ...

and

Helene Chadwick Helene Chadwick (November 25, 1897 – September 4, 1940) was an American actress in silent and in early sound films. Early life and career Chadwick was born in the small town of Chadwicks, New York, which was named for her great-grandfathe ...

. Written by George C. Hull and based on the 1916 novel '' The Border Legion'' by

Zane Grey Pearl Zane Grey (January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author and dentist. He is known for his popular adventure novels and stories associated with the Western genre in literature and the arts; he idealized the American frontie ...

, the film is about a cowboy who is wrongly accused of murder and is rescued by the leader of a band of Idaho outlaws known as the Border Legion. When the outlaws kidnap a young woman, the cowboy knows that he must help the woman escape. The film premiered on October 19, 1924 in New York City and was released in the United States on November 24, 1924 by

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 ...

.Hulse, p. 90.The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: ''The Border Legion''
/ref>

Plot

After Joan Randle (

) accuses her fiancé Jim Cleve (

) of being worthless, Jim travels to Idaho where he is wrongly accused of murder. He is rescued by Kells (

Rockliffe Fellowes Rockliffe St. Patrick Fellowes (17 March 1884 – 28 January 1950),''Who Was Who on Screen'' c.1977 by Evelyn Mack Truitt..Retrieved 22 June 2018 was a Canadian actor born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He starred in films such as ''Regenerati ...

), the leader of a band of outlaws known as the Border Legion. Jim decides to join the outlaw band. Meanwhile, Joan regrets how she treated her former sweetheart and follows him out West, where she is captured by Kells and is forced to shoot him in self-defense. In the coming days, Joan nurses Kells back to health, and the grateful outlaw soon falls in love with her. During a mining camp raid, Jim and Joan manage to escape, but while traveling by stagecoach, the legion catches up to them, Jim is shot and left for dead, and Joan is taken captive. At the hideout, Kells and Gulden (

Gibson Gowland Gibson Gowland (4 January 1877 – 9 September 1951) was an English film actor. Biography Gowland was born in Spennymoor, County Durham. He started work as a sailor and later became the mate on a ship. For several years from the age of 25 he ...

) cut cards to see who ends up with Joan and the gold from the recent raid. Gulden wins the cut, but just then an injured Jim arrives and tries to save Joan from her dastardly captors. During the struggle, Kells and Gulden draw guns on each other, and both are killed in the exchange. Jim and Joan are reunited.

Cast

as Jim Cleve *

as Joan Randle *

as Kells *

as Gulden * Charles Ogle as Harvey Roberts *

Jim Corey James Warren Corey (October 19, 1883 – January 10, 1956) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 300 films between 1914 and 1948. He was born in Nebraska and died in Los Angeles, California. His grave is located at Valhalla Memori ...

as Pearce *

Eddie Gribbon Eddie Gribbon (January 3, 1890 – September 29, 1965) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films from the 1910s to the 1950s. Gribbon began working in Mack Sennett films in 1916 and continued through the 1920s. He usuall ...

as Blicky * Luke Cosgrave as Bill Randle

Critical response

''The Border Legion'' received a mixed review in ''Variety'' magazine.

Adaptations

The 1916 novel '' The Border Legion'' by

was first adapted to film in 1918 with '' The Border Legion'', directed by

T. Hayes Hunter Thomas Hayes Hunter (December 1, 1884 – April 14, 1944) was an American film director and producer of the silent era. He directed a total of 34 films between 1912 and 1934. Early career Hayes was born on December 1, 1884, in Philadelphia ...

and starring

Blanche Bates Blanche Bates (August 25, 1873 – December 25, 1941) was an American actress. Early years Bates was born in Portland, Oregon, while her parents (both of whom were actors) were on a road tour. As an infant, she traveled with them on a t ...

, Hobart Bosworth, and

Eugene Strong Eugene Strong (August 9, 1893 – June 25, 1962) was an American film actor and vaudevillian. Career Eugene Strong oscillated between stage and film work throughout his acting career. He played the lead role in the stage production of ' ...

.Hulse, p. 57. This 1924 adaptation directed by

and starring

and

was the second silent film version produced by Paramount Pictures. Paramount would produce two more adaptations. In 1930, the first sound film adaptation was directed by

Otto Brower Otto Brower (December 2, 1890 – January 25, 1946) was an American film director. He directed more than 40 films between 1928 and 1946. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and died in Hollywood, California, from a myocardial infarction, ...

and

Edwin H. Knopf Edwin H. Knopf (November 11, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American film producer, film director, and screenwriter. Biography He was born in New York City and went to work early in his life in the editorial department of his brother Alf ...

, '' The Border Legion'', starring Jack Holt and

Fay Wray Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian/American actress best known for starring as Ann Darrow in the 1933 film ''King Kong (1933 film), King Kong''. Through an acting career that spanned nearly six decades, Wray a ...

.Hulse, p. 165. Finally in 1934, '' The Last Round-Up'' was released, directed by

Henry Hathaway Henry Hathaway (March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer. He is best known as a director of Westerns, especially starring Randolph Scott and John Wayne. He directed Gary Cooper in seven films. Backgro ...

and starring

Randolph Scott George Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American film actor whose career spanned the years from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of ...

and

Barbara Fritchie Barbara Fritchie (née Hauer; December 3, 1766 – December 18, 1862), also known as Barbara Frietchie, and sometimes spelled Frietschie, was a Unionist during the Civil War. She became part of American folklore in part from a popular poem ...

.''AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921–30''. F2.0525 and F2.0526.''AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931–40''. F3.2392.

References

;Notes ;Bibliography *

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Border Legion, The 1924 films 1924 Western (genre) films Films based on works by Zane Grey American black-and-white films Films directed by William K. Howard Lost American Western (genre) films 1924 lost films Silent American Western (genre) films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films