The Last of the Duanes (1924 film)

The Last of the Duanes is a 1924 silent film western directed by Lynn Reynolds and starring Tom Mix, with his horse Tony the Wonder Horse.[1] It is based on a 1914 Zane Grey novel, Last of the Duanes.[2] A print of the film exists,[3] after it was discovered in a chicken farm in the Czech Republic.[4]

The Last of the Duanes
Directed byLynn Reynolds
Produced byWilliam Fox
Written byEdward J. Montagne
Based ona short story The Last of the Duanes by Zane Grey
StarringTom Mix
Marian Nixon
CinematographyDan Clark
Distributed byFox Film Corporation
Release date
  • August 24, 1924 (1924-08-24)
Running time
7 reels
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent, English titles

This was the second of four films based on the novel; a 1919 silent film adaptation starred William Farnum, a 1930 adaptation starred George O'Brien, and a 1941 adaptation featured George Montgomery.

Plot

Buck Duane, the pacifist son of a famous gunman, shoots the man that killed his father, and then goes on the run. He rescues a beautiful young woman named Jenny from a gang of outlaws, and proves his innocence.

Cast

Reception

The Film Daily said, "Inasmuch as the current production is supposed to be one of Fox's specials it is somewhat disappointing. There is not the continuous fast action that Tom Mix's admirers will expect of a feature in which he appears. The trouble is that Lynn Reynolds has expended too much footage. He could readily have saved nearly two reels and made a much faster entertainment. Mix has a well suited role and enough opportunities to 'do his stuff' and he does it in his usual satisfying style. That there is too much uneventful business intervening between his action bits is no fault of his."[5]

The Muncie Evening Press said that "Tom Mix never has been seen to better advantage in a western character role than in his portrayal of Buck Duane."[6] The Buffalo Courier wrote, "Whenever Tom Mix and his famous, clever horse Tony get together in a film play of western life it can be expected that thrilling things are going to happen. It never fails that Tom and Tony get into and out of many startling situations and in The Last of the Duanes, they are said to do even better than usual."[7]

A review in Variety read, "The combination of the star and Zane Grey, with the capable Lynn Reynolds directing and a hand-picked cast, is supremely happy for this type of film. Those who like westerns (and who can begin to count them) will rave, and the comparatively few who don't will feel a lot more kindly toward them". The "magnificent" appearance of the western scenery was noted.[8]

Mae Tinee of Chicago Daily Tribune wrote, "Full of opportunities for Mr. Mix and his famous horse, Tony, to do their w.k. stuff. both of them in The Last of the Duanes are as you like 'em".[9]

Censorship

In November 1924, The Film Daily complained that the Canadian censors cut the film:

"A Tom Mix production, The Last of the Duanes, had all of its claws removed, literally speaking, by the Quebec Board of Censors... It was made into a harmless milk-and-water type of drama by the Quebec Board, all gun play having been deleted in the film, although there is plenty of it in the book. 'There seems little doubt that the censor has insisted on cutting the gunplay,' declared the Montreal Star, 'and gunplay in a Western film is as necessary as alcohol in a cocktail.'"[10]

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References
  1. "Zane Grey, Author of "Last of the Duanes"". The Casper Star-Tribune. August 28, 1924. p. 4. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  2. "The Last of the Duanes (1924)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  3. "The Last of the Duanes". Silent Era. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  4. "A Bounty of Rescued Celluloid : Movies: The 1924 'Sea Hawk' launches UCLA's monthlong Festival of Preservation tonight. Gems from international archives are featured". The Los Angeles Times. April 7, 1994. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  5. "Review: The Last of the Duanes". The Film Daily. XXIX (40): 8. August 17, 1924. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  6. "Star to Open Winter Season: Marshall Walker's Musical Revue and Tom Mix in "Last of the Duanes" on Bill". Muncie Evening Press. September 13, 1924. p. 2. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  7. "Tom Mix Tops Leow Film Bill". Buffalo Courier. September 28, 1924. p. 57. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  8. "Last of the Duanes". Variety. September 24, 1924. p. 76.
  9. Tinee, Mae (August 25, 1924). "Western Tale of Zane Grey Filmed Well: Hard Boiled Men and Cuddly Girl Is Idea". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 15 – via Proquest.
  10. "Quebec Censors Active, Slash Tom Mix Picture — Exchanges in Montreal Still Aroused over Board's Attitude". The Film Daily: 15. November 30, 1924.
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