| ~The Pony Express~ 1925 |
| ~Promotional Photograph of Betty Compson for The Pony Express~ |
| ~573-2/72: (L to R) Duke Kahanamoku, George Bancroft & Ernest Torrance~ |
| ~573-2/97: Chief Red Cloud of the Sioux Tribe reads the palm of Betty Compson, who plays the heroine in "The Pony Express," which her husband, James Cruse, directed for Paramount. At the extreme right is old Chief Iron Face, and next to him Ricardo Cortez, the hero of the story. Whatever Chief Red Cloud has told Miss Compson has evidently pleased her.~ |
| ~573-86: Wallace Beery, Vondell Darr & Ernest Torrance~ |
| ~573-2/48: There is history galore behind this old time fire engine, the pride of San Francisco in the 60's when every young man of fashion belonged to a volunteer fire brigade. This old engine is "Broderick No. 1" and was given its name in 1860 in memory of United States Senator Broderick of California, northern supporter, who was shot in the famous duel with Judge Terry, a southern adherent. The engine was loaned to Cruze in order that "The Pony Express" might be made as historically accurate as possible.~ |
| ~573-225: Wallace Beery & Betty Compson~ |
| ~573-252: Betty Compson~ |
| ~573-346: Betty Compson~ |
| ~573-351: Betty Compson~ |
| ~573-301: George Bancroft, Ricardo Cortez & Betty Compson (at edge)~ |
| ~573-312: Ernest Torrance~ |
| ~573-314: George Bancroft, Frank Lackteen, Wallace Beery & Ricardo Cortez~ |
| ~573-317: Johnny Fox & Ernest Torrance~ |
| ~573-318: Wallace Beery~ |
| ~573-319: Ricardo Cortez & Betty Compson~ |
| ~573-330: Wallace Beery & Ernest Torrance~ |
| ~573-332: George Bancroft & William Dyer~ |
| ~573-333: Ernest Torrance (preaching) and Wallace Berry (seated)~ |
| ~573-340: George Bancroft & Cast~ |
| ~Plot Synopsis~ |
Having tackled a wagon train in the immensely popular The Covered Wagon (1922), James Cruze
directed this would-be epic centered on the famed Pony Express. This time, however, audiences
stayed away in droves. Cruze's old-fashioned staging was foremost to blame. He portrayed pretty
vistas but little movement in his epics and Pony Express of course even lacked the novelty aspects
that had made "Wagon" a box-office success. In the 1860's Senator Glen of California heads a secret
society called the "Knights of the Golden Circle" in a conspiracy to have California secede from the
Union, annex part of Mexico, and establish a new empire. He sends his men to Sacramento to
eliminate debonair gambler "Frisco Jack" Weston (played by Austrian-born Ricardo Cortez), who
has spoken against him, but Weston escapes to Julesburg, Colorado. There he becomes a Pony
Express rider and a rival of Glen's agent, Jack Slade (George Bancroft), superintendent of the
Overland Stage Co., for the hand of Molly Jones (Betty Compson). Weston succeeds in foiling Glen's
plans to prevent news of Lincoln's election from reaching California by carrying the message
himself. Among other intrigues, a halfbreed Indian, Charlie Bent (Frank Lackteen), in league with
Glen, leads a band of Sioux in an attack on Julesburg. Weston marries Molly before marching off to
war.
Plot Synopsis is combination of plot synopsis' from allmovie.com and tcm.com
directed this would-be epic centered on the famed Pony Express. This time, however, audiences
stayed away in droves. Cruze's old-fashioned staging was foremost to blame. He portrayed pretty
vistas but little movement in his epics and Pony Express of course even lacked the novelty aspects
that had made "Wagon" a box-office success. In the 1860's Senator Glen of California heads a secret
society called the "Knights of the Golden Circle" in a conspiracy to have California secede from the
Union, annex part of Mexico, and establish a new empire. He sends his men to Sacramento to
eliminate debonair gambler "Frisco Jack" Weston (played by Austrian-born Ricardo Cortez), who
has spoken against him, but Weston escapes to Julesburg, Colorado. There he becomes a Pony
Express rider and a rival of Glen's agent, Jack Slade (George Bancroft), superintendent of the
Overland Stage Co., for the hand of Molly Jones (Betty Compson). Weston succeeds in foiling Glen's
plans to prevent news of Lincoln's election from reaching California by carrying the message
himself. Among other intrigues, a halfbreed Indian, Charlie Bent (Frank Lackteen), in league with
Glen, leads a band of Sioux in an attack on Julesburg. Weston marries Molly before marching off to
war.
Plot Synopsis is combination of plot synopsis' from allmovie.com and tcm.com
| Directed by: James Cruze Written by: Walter Woods (screenplay) Based on the novel The Pony Express by Henry James Forman and Walter Woods (New York, 1925). |
| ~Cast~ Betty Compson ... Molly Jones Ricardo Cortez ... Jack Weston Ernest Torrence ... 'Ascension' Jones Wallace Beery ... Rhode Island Red George Bancroft ... Jack Slade Frank Lackteen ... Charlie Bent Johnny Fox ... Billy Cody William H. Turner ... William Russell Al Hart ... Senator Glen Charles Gerson ... Sam Clemens Rose Tapley ... Aunt Vondell Darr ... Baby Duke Kahanamoku ... Indian Chief Ernie Adams ... Henchman (uncredited) Hank Bell ... Townsman (uncredited) William Dyer ... Bartender (uncredited) Toby Wing ... Child (uncredited) |
| ~Remaining Credits~ Produced & Released by: Paramount Pictures Produced by: James Cruze Original Music by: Hugo Riesenfeld Cinematography by: Karl Brown Presenters: Jesse L. Lasky & Adolph Zukor Length: 10 Reels Runtime: 110 Minutes Released: September 4, 1925 |
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Other Links That You Might Find Helpful to you for this film:
imdb.com - general information (data base form)
allmovie.com - plot synopsis
tcm.com - general information also including plot synopsis
afi.com - general information
imdb.com - general information (data base form)
allmovie.com - plot synopsis
tcm.com - general information also including plot synopsis
afi.com - general information
| ~573-324: Frank Lanteen, Ricardo Cortez, Betty Compson & George Bancroft~ |
| ~573-2/159: Betty Compson, Ernest Torrance & Ricardo Cortez~ |
| SilentHollywood.com |
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