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Thunder Over The Plains is directed by André De Toth and written by Russell S. Hughes. It stars Randolph Scott, Lex Barker, Phyllis Kirk, Charles McGraw, Henry Hull & Elisha Cook Jr. Filmed in WarnerColor the exterior photography is by Bert Glennon at the Warner Ranch in Calabasas, and David Buttolph scores the music.

It's 1869, and Texas is still not part of the Union. Carpetbaggers rule the state and criminal activity is high. Captain Porter (Scott), a proud Texan himself, finds he has to carry out orders against his own countrymen. When a man in town is murdered in cold blood, suspicion falls on rogue cowboy Ben Westman (McGraw), but Porter believes he's innocent and strikes a deal to bring him in for a fair trial. However, this sets off a chain of events that leads to Porter himself becoming a wanted man.

Knowing direction, fine acting and a darn good script, all make Thunder Over The Plains essential viewing for the 50s Western fan. The bonus, aside from the impressive support cast, is the story itself. This was a troubled time, a time when only two states were not yet accepted back into the Union post the Civil War. Toth and Hughes paint a murky town, one of corruption, tax oppression and shifty shenanigans. There's even room in the story for strains on the family home of Porter and an attempt at adultery. Throw in the nice colour and scenery, pace it briskly with enjoyable action set-pieces (the shoot out at the end is familiar but excellently done), and it's a fictionalised winner. 7/10

There's just too many baddies in this film for me to consider this as anything other than an average Randolph Scott Western. Even the nearly-good people have perverse traits – who the Hell are we supposed to care about!

Tale set in post Civil War Texas where carpetbaggers ruled almost supreme, and the occupying Federal troops seemed to let them. There's a gang of patriotic outlaws led by a Robin Hood character trying to redress the balance and a complicated set of sympathies and antagonisms with which to contend. And Lex Barker was playing a nutter. But if I correctly remember my extensive Frank Yerby reading when I was a kid surely in reality the Ku Klux Klan couldn't have been far away in matters of this kind in their role of Southern saviours? There's time in this shortish formula fiction film for lots of plot twists, cold business, love, jealousy, rage, backstabbings, murders galore, some honour and integrity, all of it delivered with plenty of panache, a nice colour and sporadically excellent camera-work.

It's enjoyable hokum up to a point but ultimately loses its way because there's no one you can really root for but many you can root against. Naturally, Scott is as dependable as usual.

In post Civil War Texas, an Army captain is charged with bringing in an outlaw who has become a legend for taking on the Carpetbaggers. It begins and ends with hokey narration, but in between there is a fairly interesting story, helped by nice color cinematography. Scott is his usual solid self as the captain. McGraw plays the outlaw, but it is Barker (coming off his final Tarzan movie) as another Army captain that is the real villain here. Kirk does well as Scott's understanding wife. It's not up to the level of Scott's later Westerns with Budd Boetticher, but it's competently directed by de Toth. The final gunfight is too drawn out and somewhat anti-climactic.

Complex western that manages pretty well to stay afloat. You may need a scorecard since the screenplay involves four different factions bouncing off one another. Scott displays his usual iron-jawed determination as the captain torn between loyalty to his native Texas and the Union cavalry. The bad guys, as usual in these post-Civil War oaters, are the greedy carpetbaggers, headed up by that excellent actor Hugh Sanders. And who can overlook perennial fall guy Elisha Cook doing his usual fierce rabbit bit.

The rivalry between the two captains, Scott and Barker, is an interesting feature, especially when it extends to Scott's wife (Kirk). That scene where the home-sick wife is captivated by the handsome Barker is both well played and unusual for a western. Note too how Scott is compelled by the byplay to fade into the background, another unusual feature for a western hero.

Though filmed just west of LA, the rolling scenery makes a good Technicolor backdrop to the action. Much credit for making the elements work should go to director de Toth who was skilled at handling conflict as shown in his masterwork, Ramrod (1947). The redoubtable Sam Peckinpah also selected de Toth to direct many episodes of his groundbreaking TV series The Westerner (1960).

On the whole, it's a complicated story of personal and political conflict but still delivers the goods for fans of westerns.

During reconstruction, Texas-born Army Captain Randolph Scott is torn between duty and his fellow Texans (including a young Fess Parker), who are in a life-or-death struggle against corrupt officials and ruthless carpetbaggers. Meanwhile, slimy officer Lex Barker gets a little too close to Scott's wife.

Thunder Over The Plains sags just a bit in the middle, but has great production values and is fairly ambitious for a 1950's B-western, with some pretty complex characters. The cinematography and direction by Andre De Toth are excellent.

Elisha Cooke Jr. is pretty good as a sniveling tax collector. Lex Barker's character is especially vile, kind of a surprise considering the times in which this was made and the fact that Barker is so handsome and all-American looking!

This just became one of my favorite Randolph Scott movies.

First, there's an intelligent script by Russell Hughes, who wrote for some good radio shows like "Nightbeat" and Alan Ladd's "Box 13", as well as such films as Anthony Mann's "Last Frontier", Delmer Daves' "Jubal", and even the best of the giant-bug movies, "Them".

Then, there's the look and feel of the film. Director Andre De Toth and his great cinematographer Bert Glennon (who had done remarkable work with the likes of Josef von Sternberg and John Ford) light and shoot for realism and emotional impact. Glennon had also shot "Man Behind the Gun" (available on the flip side of this DVD), so I suppose director Felix Feist could be blamed for that film's phony-looking stage sets. Here, in "Thunder... ", a barroom scene looks like it was shot in a real barroom (foreshadowing Clint Eastwood's "natural lighting" technique by decades) and exteriors are shot outdoors. To be fair, the Feist film may have had budget or producer issues, but given that film's potential (dealing with water rights, corrupt politicians, the possible secession of southern California, even the semi-legendary Joaquin Murrietta as a supporting character) it still seems like a typical, entertaining, 40's-style B-movie. "Thunder...", released the same year, 1953, seems more forward-looking, more compelling, more of the age of the "adult" Westerns, even though the literally flag-waving ending with its narrative paean to the great state of Texas kind of pulls us back to B-movie-land.

It is set in 1869 , after American Civil War : 1961-1865 , when Texas has not yet been admitted to the Union and several carpetbaggers upheaval againt the States . Federal captain Porter : Randolph Scott reluctantly has to carry out a mission assigned by his commandant in chief : Henry Hull against his own people . But things go wrong , the district tax Commissioner : Elisha Cook Jr is kidnapped and a rebel leader , Charles McGraw is captured being accused of killing . His was the moment he had to count his bullets because he couldn't on his friends ! Thunder in his heart ..lightning in his holsters! . Don't go out there Dave ¡ Please don't go out there ! In the heart and dust a prairie town waited . A storm was brewing . A storm named Dave Porter and when he hit , it would rain nothing but lead !

This is a tornado and adventure movie from Warner Bros , containing thrills , emotion , suspense , go riding and crossfire . A decent cavalry western with a twisted and complex intrigue written by Russell Hughes . As our captain Randolph Scott has to confront a nasty powerful owner : Hugh Sanders , while must avoid a new and envious officer : Lex Barker who attempts to take his wife Phyllis Kirk . As the trío of decent protagonists : Randolph Scott , Phyllis Kirk and Lex Barker give acceptable interpretations . They are well accompanied by a pretty support cast with plenty of familiar faces , such as : Henry Hull , Charles McGraw , Elisa Cook Jr , Lane Chandler , uncredited Trevor Bardette, James Brown of Rin Tin Tin TV series and Fess Parker of Daniel Boone TV series.

The motion picture was well directed by Andre De Toth , though it has some flaws and gaps . De Toth was a good artisan of long career , writing , producing and directing several movies . As he made all kinds of genres , outstanding in Western , such as : Ramrod , Carson City , The Indian Fighter , Day of Outlaw , Thunder over Plains . And he made other genres including films as The other love , Pitfall , None Shall escape , Crime Wave , Dark Waters , Monkey on my Back , Play Dirty . Being his biggest hit , the boxoffice terror House of Wax . Rating : 6/10 . Passable and acceptable Western that will appeal to Randolph Scott fans . Worthwhile seeing .

The only thing worse than a Hollywood Civil War western is a Hollywood Reconstruction western, especially one made in the early 1950's, about a dozen years after GWTW and ten years before MLK, when the movies, mirroring white American society in general, tended to glorify the slave owning, secessionist, defeated southerners as poor, put upon farmers (i.e. Fess Parker) and demonize the anti slavery, pro union, victorious North as a pack of rapacious weasels (i.e. Elisha Cooke Jr.) and have newly freed but soon to be Jim Crowed African Americans, the true victims of this most shameful period of our history, shunted off to the side and occasionally allowed to jeer at the Carpetbagger who, along with Federal troops, were their only protectors against the racist peckerwood heroes of this most lame ass movie.

Plus, there's Phyllis Kirk.

Thunder Over The Plains starts with the same premise as John Wayne's Red River and Randolph Scott's earlier film, The Texans. That is the corrupt rule of carpetbaggers post the Civil War. But there are no large herds of cattle to be driven north for profit to escape the burdensome taxes laid down by the occupying carpetbagger civil servants and the army to back them up.

Randolph Scott is a Union army captain, but also a Texan and he sees both sides. Henry Hull is his put upon commanding officer and Charles McGraw plays a leader of a local gang who have risen up like Robin Hood among the oppressed. These guys aren't Ku Klux Klan nightriders by any means though.

Our villains are Hugh Sanders and Elisha Cook, Jr. a pair of scurvy lowlifes if there ever were. They've got quite the little self perpetuating racket. The more they extort, the more McGraw raids, the more Sanders and Cook cry that the army has to stay in Texas. Just about anything is blamed on McGraw and his men.

There's also a domestic crisis of sorts with newly arrived captain Lex Barker, an arrogant sort who was on duty in Washington and would like to get back there. Barker's bored and he makes a play for Phyllis Kirk who is married to Randolph Scott. Since they don't like each other from the beginning that only increases the problem.

Andre DeToth who did several westerns including a few with Randolph Scott brought home a good one here. With themes like an attempt at adultery here, this was not a western for the Saturday matinée kiddie trade. DeToth's best in my opinion is one called Ramrod with Joel McCrea and his then wife Veronica Lake, but this one is pretty good too.

DeToth also learned from the best and the final shootout scene with Scott against four men bears no small resemblance to High Noon, released a year earlier.

Definitely one of Randolph Scott's best westerns of the Fifties.

(1953) Thunder Over The Plains WESTERN

When the north defeated the south during the civil war, unfair practices were being exercised when southern farmers were unfairly overtaxed as opposed to regular farmers living in the north, forcing some to give up land easily belonging to them by auction. Fictionalize story line based on fact that if there is any reason to watch this film, it would only be for the history lesson. The action is not a plenty, but well- known Western actor Randolph Scott's tall, valiant screen presence keeps the film from becoming boring. This is the fourth of six movies Randolph Scott collaborated with director Andre De Toth.

I love Randolph Scott Westerns as they usually manage to rise above the many, many mediocre and derivative films in the genre. Throughout the 1930s-60s, Hollywood churned out a bazillion of cowboy films and after a while, they almost all look the same to me--with the same clichés and myths about the West and the same general story lines. Yet, due to his excellent acting and believable persona, Scott was able to make a long string of these films and they almost always managed to be a bit better--and some even went on to become classics.

Sadly, THUNDER OVER THE PLAINS is no classic. Part of it has to be because the story line is so familiar and unexciting. I've seen a ton of films about the Reconstruction era and this one isn't much to speak of--especially since it is so historically inaccurate. I am an American History teacher and understand that the Reconstruction era is highly misunderstood. Starting with such films as BIRTH OF A NATION, several decades of Hollywood films followed a fictitious Southern revisionist version of history. In this revisionist world, the Southerners were all gentlemen (forget that many owned slaves) and the dreaded "dang Yankees" in the form of "Carpetbaggers" flooded the South to take advantage of everyone. In D.W. Griffith's BIRTH OF A NATION, these evil swine were only eventually put in their place by the brave men of the cloth. No, not the clergy, but the Ku Klux Klan--a hate group! While there is thankfully no Klan in this film to save the day, there certainly are the evil carpetbaggers and it's up to good Union officer Scott to save the day for the poor Southerners. Folks, this didn't happen--never did.

Even if the story weren't a lot of historical hogwash, the film is tepid and ordinary throughout. The characters seem too often "black or white" and Lex Barker seemed more like a psycho than an officer (and probably would have been hanged for his actions). Please, give me a film without the one-dimensional characters AND Randolph Scott, such as RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, RIDE LONESOME or THE TALL T--not this mediocre and tepid film.

It is True that Randolph Scott Made a Few Good Westerns that were Not Directed by Budd Boetticher and This is One of Them. More Complicated than Most Silly Fifties Westerns that were Synonymous and Shallow.

This is All About Carpet Baggers and Their Stealing from the Good Texan Folks. The Cavalry is On the Scene but have Little Authority Because It Seems that Most of What They Are Doing is Within the Law. But as We're Told by Hokey and Stiff 1950's Style Narration, It's Not Right.

Scott is an Army Captain, a Native Texan and is Conflicted Carrying Out Orders. Lex Barker Shows Up and is Nothing but a Varmint in a Uniform. He Shoots Guys in the Back and has No Problem with Trying to Steal Scott's Wife Played by a Very Cute Phyllis Kirk.

Charles McGraw Turns In His Fedora for a Cowboy Hat as an Antagonist to the Army and the Sleazy Carpet Baggers (Elisha Cook and Hugh Sanders), but Not the Locals. Pay Attention if You Want to Know What Side Everyones On.

Overall, Above Average, In Color (but not Widescreen), Although the Musical Score with a Heavy Emphasis on "Deep in the Heart of Texas" is Irritating. In Fact this is So Texas Centric that a Better and More Accurate Title would have been..."Thunder Over the Texas Plains". Don't Know How They Missed That.

Randolph Scott keeps the peace as a Union soldier in a small Texan town full of disgruntled, patriotic Confederate soldiers. He used to be one of them, so he understands them and is kinder than other troops stationed there. There are carpetbaggers taking advantage of the townspeople, as well as turncoats, like Elisha Cook Jr., who agree to collaborate with gangs in order to save their own skin. Lex Barker, a new influx to the unit, is rude and inappropriate, flirting with Scottie's wife right in front of him and calling on her unaccompanied.

Scottie's boss, Henry Hull, gives us a great reminder of why he won his Rag Award eight years earlier. He's tough, he's gruff, and he's fun. "What happened to you?" he asks Lex after seeing him report for duty with a black eye. Lex says he ran into a door. Looking at Scottie, with the same injury, Henry asks, "Same door?" Of course, they were fighting over Scottie's wife, Phyllis Kirk, but neither cavalry officer will admit it. What's the solution to the love triangle? You'll have to watch this typically '50s western to find out. Personally, if I were married to Scottie McScottie Pants, I wouldn't look at anyone else!

Randolph Scott often shines as typical westerner. Here he plays Captain Potter a perfect example for Christian charity. He even prefers humiliation and danger to reputation of his lovely wife. He is a hero and a saint.

Scott never looks unbelievable in his part.

Lex Barker, former Tarzan and later superman "Old Shatterhand", plays against his image as arrogant villain. And I think he does it very well.

The story is entertaining and there are a lot of other good actors like Henry Hull, Phyllis Kirk and Elisha Cook jr. in it.

This really is an enjoyable B-western directed by veteran Andre de Toth.

The reliable Randolph Scott plays a cavalry officer in this thoughtful and engaging western. It centres around carpetbaggers who are hiding behind the legal protection of the Union Army of occupation, while they are levying high taxes through occupying local government positions and using the locals' financial distress to acquire assets at well below normal value. Randolph Scott has to enforce the law and he isn't too happy with it. He sympathises with the local Texans. However, it isn't long before he ends up being treated as a traitor to the union. The script is really good, with intelligent dialogue and sympathetic view of a trying time, but rest assured this delivers in the action front, especially with that tense shoot-out finale. Lex Barker also stars and is a slimeball officer who disobeys orders and tries to have his way with Scott's wife. Scott's acting is really good here, conveying that feeling of being helpless yet dutiful.

I did not expect much more from this Andre De Toth's western, with a more than predictable Randolph Scott's lead good hero character. Technically, it is a pretty good and solid picture, but lousy, lame, bland, if you dare comparing with a Budd Boetticher' western and also starring the same Scott, from the more or less same period. Yes, all those Andre De Toth's westerns bored me in terms of stories, script, but not on the technical or directing matters, of course. And I hoped the Randolph Scott - LexBarker cast better than what I found here. Maybe many of western buffs will like it, but certainly not me.