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Drums in the Deep South

March 10, 2023

Drums in the Deep South is an American Civil War war western film directed by William Cameron Menzies who was production designer of David O. Selznick's Gone With the Wind (1939) and also designed the cave sequences in Selznick's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938). Based on a story by Civil War author Hollister Noble, the film was produced by an independent company King Brothers Productions, filmed in SuperCineColor and released by RKO Pictures in September 1951. B. Reeves Eason directed the second unit.

Drums in the Deep South
Original film poster
Directed byWilliam Cameron Menzies
Written by
Based onWoman With a Sword
by Hollister Noble[1]
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyLionel Lindon
Edited byRichard V. Heermance
Music byDimitri Tiomkin
Production
company
Distributed byRKO Radio Pictures
Release date
  • October 16, 1951 (1951-10-16) (US)[2]
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$300,000[3]

Plot

Best friends Clay Clayburn (James Craig) and Will Denning (Guy Madison) graduate from West Point and visit their friend and fellow graduate Braxton (Craig Stevens) at his Georgia plantation in 1861. Clay had once loved Braxton's wife Kathy (Barbara Payton) and still does. When war is declared they soon find themselves fighting on opposite sides of the Civil War.

By 1864, Clay now a Field Artillery Major in the Confederate States Army is renowned for accepting but surviving suicide missions. He is given another. To delay General Sherman's March to the Sea, a local guide can lead a party of men and their disassembled cannon inside caves that lead to the top of Devil's Mountain where a battery of guns can destroy the railroad and the Union troop and supply trains that travel it, buying time for the Confederacy. Devil's Mountain is coincidentally near Braxton's (who is now fighting elsewhere for the Confederacy) and Kathy's old plantation where Kathy remains with her uncle (Taylor Holmes). Kathy agrees to monitor the activities of the Northern invaders and signal Clay's outpost from her window through a mirror by day and a lantern by night. Through her activities, Clay's men are notified of the arrival of two supply trains and destroy both of them.

Arriving at the plantation is Will, who is now a Field Artillery Major in the Union Army. When the two men meet each other in combat, neither knows it as each is in an artillery position hundreds of yards from the other. However, the love of Clay's life, Kathy Summers, does know and tries desperately to save her two good friends from killing each other.

The Union Field Artillery cannot achieve the elevation or range with their cannon to clear the Confederate guns at the top of the mountain. Inside the mountain, the Union Infantry cannot find the path to the top and is delayed by Confederate snipers.

As the railroad line has been blocked by two destroyed trains, Union headquarters send a giant Naval Dahlgren gun manned by sailors and mounted on a flat car that can wipe out the Confederates. Kathy is able to supply Clay's guns with wire from her piano that is used to reinforce the barrel of one of Clay's guns that with a double charge and the maximum elevation is able to destroy the naval gun and further block the railroad line.

Will has Union Army Engineers mine the inside of the mountain with explosives that will blow the top of the mountain. Kathy wishes to act as a mediator to get Clay and his men to surrender that the Union army is keen on as it will save time. However, Clay calculates that the explosion will send the cliff down over the railway line further blocking the Union's supplies.

Cast

Unbilled

Production

Drums in the Deep South was the first from a new production set up by the King Brothers which involved them raising finance by selling shares. 300,000 shares worth $300,000 were issued to over 700 investors for Drums.[3][4] The film was shot at Sam Goldwyn Studios and on location in Sonora, California.[5] The railroad scenes were filmed on the Sierra Railroad in Tuolumne County, California.[6]

Soundtrack

Reception

The King Brothers sold Drums in the Deep South to RKO, who distributed the film. Drums in the Deep South was profitable and King Brothers announced plans to reunite Craig, Madison, and Payton in a follow-up film called Murder March about the March to the Sea but it never went into production.[7] Reviewer Jim Craddock in a later review, noted the plot in Drums in the Deep South was "... hampered by a familiar premise".[8]

The King Brothers later sued RKO for mismanaging the distribution and sale of the film, claiming $10,000 in damages.[9]

References

Notes

  1. ^ Goble 1999, p. 346
  2. ^ "Detail View: 'Drums in the Deep South'." American Film Institute. Retrieved: May 19, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Brady, Thomas. "Hollywood agenda: Capra and Stevens will leave Paramount In production policy change; Addenda poor starts turning point stock dealings more color." The New York Times, April 8, 1951, p. 101.
  4. ^ Scheuer, Philip K. "Tim Holt leatherneck; Directors pick Huston; King Bros. celebrating." Los Angeles Times, September 5, 1950.
  5. ^ Schallert, Edwin. "McCarey's 'Born in Trunk' activated; Nancy Davis likely as Tracy's wife." Los Angeles Times, September 20, 1950, p. B11.
  6. ^ Jensen, Larry (2018). Hollywood's Railroads: Sierra Railroad. Vol. Two. Sequim, Washington: Cochetopa Press. p. 25. ISBN 9780692064726.
  7. ^ "Movieland briefs." Los Angeles Times, October 23, 1951, p. B7.
  8. ^ Craddock 2000, p. 300.
  9. ^ Pryor, Thomas M. "Film group files suit of $6,030,000: King Brothers alleges trust violations in 3 releases." The New York Times, November 5, 1958, p. 43.

Bibliography

  • Craddock, Jim, ed. Video Hounds Golden Movie Retriever 2001. New York: Gale Group, 2000. ISBN 978-1-5785-9120-6.
  • Goble, Alan, ed. The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gryter, 1999 (reprint ed.). ISBN 978-3-1109-5194-3

External links

March 10, 2023
drums, deep, south, american, civil, western, film, directed, william, cameron, menzies, production, designer, david, selznick, gone, with, wind, 1939, also, designed, cave, sequences, selznick, adventures, sawyer, 1938, based, story, civil, author, hollister,. Drums in the Deep South is an American Civil War war western film directed by William Cameron Menzies who was production designer of David O Selznick s Gone With the Wind 1939 and also designed the cave sequences in Selznick s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 1938 Based on a story by Civil War author Hollister Noble the film was produced by an independent company King Brothers Productions filmed in SuperCineColor and released by RKO Pictures in September 1951 B Reeves Eason directed the second unit Drums in the Deep SouthOriginal film posterDirected byWilliam Cameron MenziesWritten byPhilip Yordan Sidney HarmonBased onWoman With a Swordby Hollister Noble 1 Produced byFrank King producer Maurice King producer StarringJames Craig Barbara Payton Guy Madison Barton MacLaneCinematographyLionel LindonEdited byRichard V HeermanceMusic byDimitri TiomkinProductioncompanyKing Brothers ProductionsDistributed byRKO Radio PicturesRelease dateOctober 16 1951 1951 10 16 US 2 Running time87 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget 300 000 3 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 2 1 Unbilled 3 Production 4 Soundtrack 5 Reception 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Bibliography 7 External linksPlot EditBest friends Clay Clayburn James Craig and Will Denning Guy Madison graduate from West Point and visit their friend and fellow graduate Braxton Craig Stevens at his Georgia plantation in 1861 Clay had once loved Braxton s wife Kathy Barbara Payton and still does When war is declared they soon find themselves fighting on opposite sides of the Civil War By 1864 Clay now a Field Artillery Major in the Confederate States Army is renowned for accepting but surviving suicide missions He is given another To delay General Sherman s March to the Sea a local guide can lead a party of men and their disassembled cannon inside caves that lead to the top of Devil s Mountain where a battery of guns can destroy the railroad and the Union troop and supply trains that travel it buying time for the Confederacy Devil s Mountain is coincidentally near Braxton s who is now fighting elsewhere for the Confederacy and Kathy s old plantation where Kathy remains with her uncle Taylor Holmes Kathy agrees to monitor the activities of the Northern invaders and signal Clay s outpost from her window through a mirror by day and a lantern by night Through her activities Clay s men are notified of the arrival of two supply trains and destroy both of them Arriving at the plantation is Will who is now a Field Artillery Major in the Union Army When the two men meet each other in combat neither knows it as each is in an artillery position hundreds of yards from the other However the love of Clay s life Kathy Summers does know and tries desperately to save her two good friends from killing each other The Union Field Artillery cannot achieve the elevation or range with their cannon to clear the Confederate guns at the top of the mountain Inside the mountain the Union Infantry cannot find the path to the top and is delayed by Confederate snipers As the railroad line has been blocked by two destroyed trains Union headquarters send a giant Naval Dahlgren gun manned by sailors and mounted on a flat car that can wipe out the Confederates Kathy is able to supply Clay s guns with wire from her piano that is used to reinforce the barrel of one of Clay s guns that with a double charge and the maximum elevation is able to destroy the naval gun and further block the railroad line Will has Union Army Engineers mine the inside of the mountain with explosives that will blow the top of the mountain Kathy wishes to act as a mediator to get Clay and his men to surrender that the Union army is keen on as it will save time However Clay calculates that the explosion will send the cliff down over the railway line further blocking the Union s supplies Cast EditJames Craig as Maj Clay Clayburn Barbara Payton as Kathy Summers Guy Madison as Maj Will Denning Barton MacLane as Sgt Mac McCardle Robert Osterloh as Sgt Harper Tom Fadden as Purdy Robert Easton as Jerry Louis Jean Heydt as Col House Craig Stevens as Col Braxton Summers Taylor Holmes as Albert Monroe Lewis Martin as Gen Johnston Peter Brocco as Union corporal Dan White as Corp Jennings Unbilled Edit Robert Clarke Union officer Kenne Duncan Union Officer Roy Gordon Lt Col Fitzgerald James Griffith Union officer who reports to Maj Denning Myron Healey Union lieutenant Todd Karns Union captain Norman Leavitt Confederate soldier Frank Marlowe Confederate soldier Tom Monroe Confederate soldier Billy Nelson Union sergeant Steve Pendleton Capt Travis Denver Pyle Union soldier who breaks the window Mickey Simpson Jim Burns Confederate soldier Ray Walker Union officer Guy Wilkerson Confederate sentryProduction EditDrums in the Deep South was the first from a new production set up by the King Brothers which involved them raising finance by selling shares 300 000 shares worth 300 000 were issued to over 700 investors for Drums 3 4 The film was shot at Sam Goldwyn Studios and on location in Sonora California 5 The railroad scenes were filmed on the Sierra Railroad in Tuolumne County California 6 Soundtrack Edit Dixie by Daniel Decatur Emmett Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe Barbara Allen traditional Down by the Riverside The Old Gray Mare Reception EditThe King Brothers sold Drums in the Deep South to RKO who distributed the film Drums in the Deep South was profitable and King Brothers announced plans to reunite Craig Madison and Payton in a follow up film called Murder March about the March to the Sea but it never went into production 7 Reviewer Jim Craddock in a later review noted the plot in Drums in the Deep South was hampered by a familiar premise 8 The King Brothers later sued RKO for mismanaging the distribution and sale of the film claiming 10 000 in damages 9 References EditNotes Edit Goble 1999 p 346 Detail View Drums in the Deep South American Film Institute Retrieved May 19 2014 a b Brady Thomas Hollywood agenda Capra and Stevens will leave Paramount In production policy change Addenda poor starts turning point stock dealings more color The New York Times April 8 1951 p 101 Scheuer Philip K Tim Holt leatherneck Directors pick Huston King Bros celebrating Los Angeles Times September 5 1950 Schallert Edwin McCarey s Born in Trunk activated Nancy Davis likely as Tracy s wife Los Angeles Times September 20 1950 p B11 Jensen Larry 2018 Hollywood s Railroads Sierra Railroad Vol Two Sequim Washington Cochetopa Press p 25 ISBN 9780692064726 Movieland briefs Los Angeles Times October 23 1951 p B7 Craddock 2000 p 300 Pryor Thomas M Film group files suit of 6 030 000 King Brothers alleges trust violations in 3 releases The New York Times November 5 1958 p 43 Bibliography Edit Craddock Jim ed Video Hounds Golden Movie Retriever 2001 New York Gale Group 2000 ISBN 978 1 5785 9120 6 Goble Alan ed The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film Walter de Gryter 1999 reprint ed ISBN 978 3 1109 5194 3External links EditDrums in the Deep South on YouTube Drums in the Deep South at IMDb Drums in the Deep South at the TCM Movie Database Drums in the Deep South is available for free download at the Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Drums in the Deep South amp oldid 1126417253, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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