The Return of Wild Bill (1940)

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Like its predecessor The Man From Tumbleweeds, the 1940 Bill Elliot western The Return of Wild Bill was directed by Joseph H. Lewis, whose innovative choice of camera angles was always well worth watching. Returning to his home town after a long absence, Wild Bill Saunders (Elliot) discovers that his father has been mortally wounded by a gang of frontier hooligans. Adding intrigue to the proceedings is the fact that Katie Kilgore (Luana Anders), one of the film's two leading ladies (the other is Iris Meredith), is the sister of outlaw leader Matt Kilgore (George Lloyd). Seemingly a mere villainess, Katie reveals that she's a lot more complex than anyone imagines, carefully tipping off the honest cattlemen in the district whenever her brother goes on a rampage. Her curious predilection for working both sides of the fence costs Katie her life at fadeout time, but she remains in the memory far longer than any of the film's other plot contrivances. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Complete Cast:

Director(s):

Joseph H. Lewis

Writer(s):

Fred K. Myton, Robert Lee Johnson

Producer(s):

Leon Barsha

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