The Moonlighter (1953)
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- Approved
- 1h 18min
- Western
- 19 Sep 1953 (USA)
- Movie
Photos and Videos
Cast
| Barbara Stanwyck | ... |
Rela
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| Fred MacMurray | ... |
Wes Anderson
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| Ward Bond | ... |
Cole Gardner
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| William Ching | ... |
Tom Anderson
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| John Dierkes | ... |
Sheriff Daws
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| Morris Ankrum | ... |
Alexander Prince
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| Jack Elam | ... |
Slim
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| Charles Halton | ... |
Clemmons Usqubaugh - Undertaker
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| Norman Leavitt | ... |
Tidy
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| Sam Flint | ... |
Mr. Mott - Bank President
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Myra Marsh | ... |
Mrs. Anderson
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William Kerwin | ... |
Tony
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| Tom Keene | ... |
Sheriff
(as Richard Powers)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Victor Adamson | ... |
Townsman at Funeral (uncredited)
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David Alpert | ... |
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
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| Al Bain | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Gregg Barton | ... |
Bar X Man in Lynch Mob (uncredited)
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| Robert Bice | ... |
Bar X Man in Lynch Mob (uncredited)
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| John Bose | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Edward Clark | ... |
Telegrapher (uncredited)
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| Joel Fluellen | ... |
Black Man in Jail Cell (uncredited)
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| Byron Foulger | ... |
Mr. Gurley (uncredited)
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| Dolores Fuller | ... |
Miss Buckwalter (uncredited)
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Ron Gans | ... |
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
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Nancy Gilbert | ... |
Susie (uncredited)
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| Tom Greenway | ... |
Barbershop Customer (uncredited)
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| Al Haskell | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Myron Healey | ... |
Deputy Joe Bayliss (uncredited)
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Tex Holden | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Charles Horvath | ... |
Bar X Man in Lynch Mob (uncredited)
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William Hunter | ... |
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
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| Ray Jones | ... |
Bar X Man in Lynch Mob (uncredited)
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| Jess Kirkpatrick | ... |
Barber (uncredited)
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| Emmett Lynn | ... |
Old Timer (uncredited)
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Russell Meeker | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Jack Montgomery | ... |
Townsman at Funeral (uncredited)
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Lew Morphy | ... |
Bar X Man in Lynch Mob (uncredited)
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| Burt Mustin | ... |
Turnkey (uncredited)
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Anton Northpole | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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Charles Perry | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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Joey Ray | ... |
Townsman at Funeral (uncredited)
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| Julian Rivero | ... |
Chico (uncredited)
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Robert Robinson | ... |
Diner Patron (uncredited)
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| Gene Roth | ... |
Angry Man at Funeral (uncredited)
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| Steve Rowland | ... |
Marilla - Teenage Seeper (uncredited)
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| Almira Sessions | ... |
Angelica Usqubaugh (uncredited)
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Allen D. Sewall | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Tom Smith | ... |
Townsman in Barbershop (uncredited)
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Earl Spainard | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Ted Stanhope | ... |
Wilbur - Bank Teller (uncredited)
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| William Steele | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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Nick Stewart | ... |
Bank Janitor (uncredited)
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Slim Talbot | ... |
Bar X Man in Lynch Mob (uncredited)
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| Jack Tornek | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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| Harry Wilson | ... |
Townsman (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Roy Rowland | ||
Written by
| Niven Busch | ... | (story and screenplay) |
Produced by
| Joseph Bernhard | ... | producer |
Music by
| Heinz Roemheld | ||
Cinematography by
| Bert Glennon | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Terry O. Morse | ... | (as Terry Morse) |
Art Direction by
| Charles D. Hall | ... | (as Dan Hall) |
Set Decoration by
| Fred M. MacLean | ... | (as Fred MacLean) |
Makeup Department
| Del Armstrong | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Percy Ikerd | ... | production manager (as Perc Ikerd) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Horace Hough | ... | assistant director |
Sound Department
| Victor B. Appel | ... | sound (as Vic Appel) |
Special Effects by
| David Commons | ... | title and effects (as D. Commons) |
| Jack Rabin | ... | title and effects (as J. Rabin) |
Visual Effects by
| Julian Gunzburg | ... | visual consultant |
Stunts
| Chuck Roberson | ... | stunt double: Fred MacMurray |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Joe King | ... | wardrobe |
| Ann Peck | ... | wardrobe |
Music Department
| Heinz Roemheld | ... | conductor |
| Carl Sigman | ... | composer: stock music (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Milton Gunzburg | ... | natural vision supervisor (as M.L. Gunzburg) |
| Howard Schwartz | ... | natural vision consultant |
| Robert H. Justman | ... | production assistant (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Warner Bros. (1953) (United States) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1953) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1954) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Warner Archive Collection (2009) (United States) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2009) (United States) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
In the early 1900s, Wes Anderson is arrested for night-time cattle rustling (moonlighting). He had been gone from his home town for five years, leaving his sweetheart, Rela, to wait for him. Wes' brother, Tom, has chosen a different path in life and works as a teller in a bank in Rio Hondo. Tom is in-love with Rela and he pressures her to marry him in Wes' absence. Languishing in a sheriff's jail, Wes is awaiting trial, which promises to be a fair one, at least according to the town sheriff. But an angry lynch mob of local ranchers agitate in front of the jail, swinging a hanging rope and hankering for Wes' blood. When the sheriff leaves his jail for a lunch-break, the mob breaks into the jail, grabs an imprisoned hobo by mistake and hangs him. The lynch-mob believes to have hung Wes but he is safe, in jail. After he escapes from jail, Wes vows revenge on the members of the lynch mob. During the following days, Wes raids the ranches of those who participated in the lynch mob. He burns their ranches and barns, kills their livestock and he gets into gunfights with the ranchers. Wounded during a raid, Wes runs home to his mother's house. There he heals his wounds, re-connects with his mother and brother and also meets with Rela. Wes is still in-love with her but she claims not to be interested anymore. She prefers marrying Wes' brother, Tom, who offers more security than Wes. However, when Tom looses his job at the bank, Wes lures him into a bank-robbing scheme. Angry at his former employer, Tom agrees to join his brother Wes in robbing the bank in Rio Hondo. Tom figures he could use the robbery money to marry Rela. A third man, outlaw Cole Gardner, joins the Anderson brothers in their plan. The robbery has unexpected hitches that sends the robbers into a mountain hideout. Some double-crosses occur and the sheriff's posse trails the robbers. In a last-minute twist, Rela asks the sheriff to deputize her with the rest of the posse and promises to bring the robbers to justice. Will Rela shoot the men she loves or Vice-Versa ? Written by nufs68 |
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| Taglines | "I'LL GIVE YOU AN HOUR TO CHANGE MY MIND 'MOONLIGHTER' BEFORE I TURN YOU IN!" (original poster) See more » |
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| Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | According to Ben Mankiewicz on TCM, Barbara Stanwyck did her own stunts during the waterfall scene, and despite becoming black and blue, never held up the production. See more » |
| Goofs | During the shootout between Rela and Cole, Rela takes off her jacket. After she kills Cole, she takes his horse and rides off to look for Wes without her jacket. However, when the next scene starts and she's approaching the cabin where Wes is tied up, she's wearing the jacket. See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Opening credits roll up from behind the scene of mountains, and include "Photographed in Natural Vision 3 Dimension", See more » |
| Quotes |
Rela:
You've changed, Wes. Wes Anderson: Nobody stays the same. See more » |