Product Description

Studio: Gotham (dba Alpha) Release Date: 09/14/2004

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #64645 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-08-31
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 90 minutes

Customer Reviews

Best wagon train scene ever!
I haven't seen this copy, so I don't know if they will publish this review, but I already have the movie. The almost-ten-minute wagon train scene near the beginning is priceless. It's constantly, slowly moving and done so well you really get the feel for what such a trip must have been like. A variety of people from that era are characterized rather well for a B western. There is tragedy at the beginning which leads to Mona Barry doing a rendition of "Rock of Ages" acapella which, along with her short commentary about herself after, will break your heart. I've never heard anything like it. Tears flow every time I watch it. Great stuff Mona, wherever you are.

Again Buck gets to hold a baby and call him "little shaver". I love that. Buck does a solid job as always. This was his last movie before dying in the Cocoanut Grove fire in '42. The story line is good and there is the occasional nifty quote - "I've got to hand it to you Easterners, you sure are slick with the brain-power" is my favorite.

This version probably follows Alpha's usual quality standards. Hey, at least they are putting them out there, so I give them full credit for that. Many of these movies would never be seen by a large number of us if it wasn't for them. Hey, Alpha, why don't you start a Digitally Remastered division and make this your first one. The audio and video of this 70 minute B Western epic simply cry out for digital enhancement.

Whatever the quality, for Buck and especially for the wagon train scene and Mona Barry's "Rock of Ages", I'm giving it 5 stars.

Gospel

WHEELS OF FATE

This movie was taken from a story by James Curwood entitled "Wheels of Fate", and for me that title fits much better than "Dawn on the Great Divide". The years 1941 and 1942 saw several of the Rough Riders films made and though this movie is good, it doesn't have the jump that many of the others have. This was the last film for Buck Jones, and it is not his best performance, as he looks somewhat tired and it affected his performance.

His leading lady, co star actually, was a gal born in England, trained in Australia, named Mona Barrie. Before dying in 1964 she racked up quite a few movies, as well as stage performances, and she truly turns in a very memorable performance in this film. For me, she saves this movie.

The cast of stock characters is good with the usual suspects on board, especially Roy Barcroft, and Raymond Hatton, did they ever make a western without Roy Barcroft. And an extra treat is a very young Tris Coffin who plays Mona's husband but ends up dead part way through the movie. And yes, the wagon train is interesting by not the best ever for me, it is too small using undersized wagons other than the railroad supply wagons which resemble more the 20 mule team Borax type wagons.

This is a very good, solid movie from 1942, offering 69 minutes of black and white entertainment, but only a three star-plus one in my estimation. I enjoy all the Rough Rider films and it seems a little strange not having Tim McCoy and Buck Jones and Raymond Hatton together as a team. Rex Bell played the character Jack Carson well enough, but the regular trio one expects just isn't there.

Anyway, if you are looking for a good, ole fashioned western, the way they used to make 'em, then take a look at this one. You will find something to enjoy with this one.

Semper Fi.

"The King of B-Westerns & Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ Dawn of the Great Divide (1942)"
VCI Entertainment and Monogram Pictures present "Dawn of the Great Divide" (1942) (digitally remastered), although The Rough Riders had a short run, they turned out some of the best B-Westerns ever to grace the Saturday Matinee screen...our story is the final of eight in the Rough Riders series is a better than average oater...Buck Jones (Buck Roberts) and Raymond Hatton (Sandy Hopkins) continue with the same characterization...Tim McCoy was placed on active duty in WWII, replaced by Rex Bell (Jack Carson) as the third member of the trio...Buck and Sandy are leading a wagon train loaded with railroad supplies to expand the West...our favorite villain Harry Woods with Roy Barcroft, Robert Frazer, I. Stanford Jolley, Reed Howes and Bud Osborne are up to no good...disguised as Indians during the attacks they plan to stop Buck at all costs...the three Buck, Sandy and Rex Bell are working undercover and have the situation well in hand, if you don't believe it check with the Monogram executives who are already counting the receipts for this over the top oater...just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss any of the Rough Riders features loaded with action that will leave you wanting more of his B-Western adventures.....this would be the last of the Rough Rider series as Buck Jones died tragically in a fire in the infamous Coconut Grove, Boston in November, 1942 before this film was released.

Under director Howard P. Bretherton, producer Scott R. Dunlap, original short story "Wheels of Fate" by James Oliver Curwood, screenplay by Jess Bowers ...the cast include Buck Jones (Marshal Buck Roberts), Raymond Hatton (Sandy Hopkins), Rex Bell (Jack Carson ), Mona Barrie (Sadie Rand), Terry Wallace ( Terry Wallace), Maude Eburne (Sarah Harkins), Chrstine McIntyre (Mary Harkins, Sarah's Daughter), Harry Woods (Jim Corkle/the Judge's Brother), Robert Frazer (Judge Corkle), Betty Blythe (Mrs. Elmira Corkle), Tristram Coffin (Jack Rand), Roy Barcroft (Chuck Loder), I. Stanford Jolley (Ed/henchman), Reed Howes (Stevens/henchman), Bud Osborne (Stoney), Dennis Moore (Tony Corkle), Silver (Buck Jones, wonder horse). . . . . . . . .special footnote, actor /producer Buck Jones made over 164 feature films beginning with "Western Blood" (1918/Silent) with a bit part...Jones final film was "Dawn on the Great Divide" (1942)...with his famed horse "Silver:, Jones was one of the most successful and popular B-Western actors of the '20s, '30s and '40s, at one time receiving more fan mail than any actor in the world...was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1973. . . . . . . . . .second special footnote actor Tim McCoy in real life was a sharpshooter and famed for his fast draw...was an expert on the Old West also an authority on Indian folklore could converse in Indian sign language...McCoy was inducted into the "Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum" in 1973, also inducted into "The Cowboy Hall of Fame" in 1974.. . . . . . . . final special footnote, one of my favorite character actors was Johnny Mack's sidekick Raymond Hatton (1887-1971) as Marshall Sandy Hopkins who appeared from 1943 and made 45 films for Monogram Pictures...Hatton who first appeared on film in "Tragic Love" (1909-Silent/unconfirmed), "Oliver Twist" (1917), "The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), "The Squaw Man" (1931), "Law and Order" (1932)...during the '30s & '40s he played the comical sidekick for Johnny Mack Brown and Bob Livingston...went on to join Buck Jones and Tim McCoy in the "Rough Riders" series...Hatton worked right up to his last film "In Cold Blood" (1967). . . . . .meanwhile this is an exciting Rough Riders western provided by Monogram Pictures during their heyday of the early '40s.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Buck Jones (aka: Charles Frederick Gebhart)
Birth Date: 12/04/1889 - Vincennes, Indiana
Died: 11/30/1942 - Boston, MA (fire)
2. Tim McCoy (aka: Timothy John Fitzgerald McCoy)
Birth Date: 4/10/1891 - Saginaw, Michigan
Died: 1/29/1978 - Nogales, Arizona
3. Raymond Hatton (aka: Raymond William Hatton)
Birth Date: 7/07/1887 - Red Oak, Iowa
Died: 10/21/1971 - Palmdale, California
4. Rex Bell (aka: George Francis Beldam)
Birth Date: 10/16/1903 - Chicago, Il
Died: 7/04/1962 - Las Vegas, Nevada

Check out other Buck Jones titles available on VHS from VCI:
1. Black Aces (1937)
2. Dawn on the Great Divide (1942)
3. Down Texas Way (1942)
4. Gunman from Bodie (1941)
5. Renfrew of the Royal Mounted (1937)
6. Riders of Death Valley (1941)
7. Silver Spurs (1936)
8. Six Gun Man (1946)
9. South of the Rio Grande (1932)

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features with Buck Jones:

ROUGH RIDERS WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES:
1. Vol. 1 - Arizona Bound/Gunman from Bodie (VCI #7241) (DVD)
2. Vol. 2 - Ghost Town Law/Below the Border (VCI #7264) (DVD)
3. Vol. 3 - Forbidden Trails/Down Texas Way (VCI #7274) (DVD)
4. Dawn on the Great Divide (VCI #7219) (DVD)

Ask Amazon.Com to carry the above titles if they are not available as of yet...you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment...if you enjoyed "Dawn of the Great Divide" (1942), why not pick up other copies of Buck Jones features.

In 1941 the "Rough Riders" series began with Buck as Marshal Buck Roberts, Tim McCoy was Marshal Tim McCall and Raymond Hatton was Marshal Sandy Hopkins for Monogram Pictures:

1. ARIZONA BOUND (Monogram, 1941)
2. THE GUNMAN FROM BODIE (Monogram, 1941)
3. FORBIDDEN TRAILS (Monogram, 1941)
4. BELOW THE BORDER (Monogram, 1942)
5. GHOST TOWN LAW (Monogram, 1942)
6. DOWN TEXAS WAY (Monogram, 1942)
7. RIDERS OF THE WEST (Monogram, 1942)
8. WEST OF THE LAW (Monogram, 1942)

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Dawn of the Great Divide" (1942),
the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward
to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s
& '40s...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there
are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch
action mixed with deadly adventure from the "King of Serials" VCI...just
the way we like 'em

Total Time: 63 min on DVD/VHS ~ VCI Entertainment #7219 ~ (6/25/2002)