Black Midnight

"Wild Suspense . . . Wild Adventure ! Thrilling Drama of a Wild Horse . . . and a Boy Who tames It !"

Oct 2 1949 Approved 1h 6m
Drama, Western

A young man with a love of horses, Scott Jordan (Roddy McDowall) lives on the family ranch with his uncle Bill (Damian O’Flynn). When he buys a wild stallion from his black-sheep cousin Daniel (Rand Brooks), Scott names the horse Midnight and does his best to tame him. But when the sheriff (Sky King’s Kirby Grant) suspects the stallion was stolen and Daniel’s plan to get rid of the horse ends with a man being trampled, Scott must prove Midnight acted in self-defense before his uncle destroys him. The fourth of six films McDowall coproduced and starred in for Monogram Pictures, Black Midnight was directed by Oscar “Budd” Boetticher, whose seven Westerns with Randolph Scott are considered classics of the genre.

Plot

Scott Jordan (Roddy McDowall) and his Uncle Bill (Damian O'Flynn) take time from their own ranch chores to welcome home Martha Baxter (Fay Baker and her Daughter Cindy (Lyn Thomas), gone from their ranch two years. Sheriff Gilbert (Kirby Grant) gives Cindy her late father's mare, "Lady." Bill's son Daniel (Rand Brooks), who had run away from his dad's ranch, returns with his friend Roy (Gordon Jones), and several wild horses. When Daniel threatens to kill the wild stallion, Midninght, Scott buys him for $30. With patience Scott succeeds in taming Midnight. Cindy becomes interest with Daniel, but when her mother proves he is lazy, the girl is angry at Scott, thinking he has been party to the expose. When the sheriff becomes suspicious of Roy and the brand on Daniel's horses, the latter has Roy steal Midnight to get rid of him. The stallion tramples Roy to death when the latter attack him, and Scott rides away on Midnight to prevent Bill from shooting the animal. Scott hides his horse, and with Cindy's aid dresses Midnight's wounds. The sheriff convinces Bill that Roy attacked Midnight first. The horse beats off a mountain lion, and Bill wins back Scott's friendship when he shots the lion as it threatens Scott. The sheriff informs Scott that Daniel's horses were stolen from horse-traders who were shot. Scott tells this to Daniel, who knocks out Scott and plans to kill the sheriff.

Written by

Clint Johnston, Erna Lazarus

Directed by

Budd Boetticher

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Monogram Pictures

Languages

English

Awards

N/A

Scores
# of Votes
112
Average Rating
6.2 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA