Le premier rebelle

This 1939 movie, a period piece set in the early 1760's, comes from the days when John Wayne took second billing to Claire Trevor, as he had that same year in "Stagecoach", the film that made Wayne a star. It is a somewhat forgotten film, but it doesn't deserve to be, since it tells a really good story in a really entertaining fashion. And it has a great cast.

Wayne plays Jim Smith, leader of a band of settlers of southern Pennsylvania's Conococheague Valley in the years immediately following the French and Indian War. Smith & Company's efforts to deal with a crooked Indian trader (veteran Hollywood villain Brian Donlevy) are hampered by an officious, pig-headed, and not-too-bright British Army officer (veteran Hollywood stuffed shirt George Sanders). Smith also has to deal with the local tomboy (Miss Trevor) who has a deep yearning for adventure and excitement, as well as the affections of Jim Smith.

Wilfrid Lawson also appears as MacDougall, the rowdy Scotsman who loves fighting almost as much as drinking. John F. Hamilton is the eloquent but enigmatic sidekick, known as the Professor. Moroni Olsen, possessor of one of filmdom's coolest names, is the stalwart Tom Calhoon. Veteran second-string Hollywood villain Ian Wolfe is the evil trader's Evil sidekick. Also appearing in small roles are Chill Wills (another cool name) and Charles Middleton, heretofore best known as the stone-faced Fredonian prosecutor in "Duck Soup".

Interesting historical detail: in a courtroom scene, a witness is asked to "swear or affirm" that what he's about to say is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. This should serve to remind the viewer that Pennsylvania was a Quaker Commonwealth. (Quakers don't believe in swearing, you see...)