The Spoilers is a 1942 American Western film directed by Ray Enright and starring Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott and John Wayne.

The Spoilers was adapted to screen by Lawrence Hazard from the 1906 Rex Beach novel of the same name. Film versions also appeared in 1914, 1923 (with Noah Beery Sr. as McNamara and Anna Q. Nilsson as Malotte), 1930 (with Gary Cooper as Glennister and Betty Compson as Malotte; this is the only time that Gary Cooper and John Wayne played the same role in two different films), and 1955 (with Anne Baxter as Malotte, Jeff Chandler as Glennister, and Rory Calhoun as McNamara).

Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott, and John Wayne also appeared together that same year in a movie called Pittsburgh. Scott was billed above Wayne in both movies, even though Wayne s role was larger and more important in each, because he was under contract to Universal, whereas Wayne was borrowed from Republic. Dietrich and Wayne had also made the earlier film Seven Sinners together in 1940.

Bestselling poet Robert W. Service (not credited) plays The Poet, a fictionalized version of himself.

The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Art Direction (John B. Goodman, Jack Otterson, Russell A. Gausman and Edward Ray Robinson).

Plot

Nome, Alaska, 1900: Flapjack and Banty come to town to check on their gold mine claim. Saloon owner Cherry Malotte is aware of the corruption all around, including that Bennett and Clark are out to steal the men s claim.

In on the crooked scheme is the new gold commissioner, Alexander McNamara, as well as the last word of law and order in the territory, Judge Stillman. So, the bad guys usually get their way.

Cherry s old beau, Roy Glennister, returns from a trip to Europe. He is attracted to Helen Chester, the judge s niece. Roy makes the mistake of siding with McNamara, damaging his relationship with his longtime partner, Al Dextry.

Roy realizes he s been deceived as McNamara and Stillman prepare to steal at least $250,000 while the mine s case awaits appeal. Helen is now in love with Roy, who begs Dextry s forgiveness and persuades him to rob a bank to take back the wealth stolen from them. Both Glennister and Dextry don blackface to disguise themselves.

The Bronco Kid kills the marshall, but Roy gets the blame. He is arrested and a plot forms to kill him, but Cherry comes to his rescue by breaking Roy out of jail. A fierce fistfight with McNamara results in Roy getting back his mine and his girl.

Cast

• Marlene Dietrich as Cherry Malotte
• Randolph Scott as McNamara
• John Wayne as Glennister
• Margaret Lindsay as Helen Chester
• Harry Carey Dextry
• Richard Barthelmess as Bronco Kid
• George Cleveland as Banty
• Samuel S. Hinds as Judge Stillman
• Russell Simpson as Flapjack
• William Farnum as Wheaton
• Marietta Canty as Idabelle
• Jack Norton as Mr. Skinner
• Bennett Ray Bennett as Clark
• Forrest Taylor as Bennett
• Miles Art Miles as Deputy
• Charles McMurphy as Deputy
• Charles Halton as Stuve
• Bud Osborne as Marshall
• Drew Demorest as Galloway

Year	1942
ReleaseDate	1942-06-11
RuntimeMins	87
RuntimeStr	1h 27min
Plot	In Nome, Alaska, miner Roy Glennister and his partner Dextry, financed by saloon entertainer Cherry Malotte, fight to save their gold claim from crooked commissioner Alexander McNamara.
Awards	Nominated for 1 Oscar, 1 nomination total
Directors	Ray Enright
Writers	Rex Beach, Lawrence Hazard, Tom Reed
Stars	Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott, John Wayne
Produced by	Charles K. Feldman,Frank Lloyd,Lee S. Marcus
Music by	Hans J. Salter
Cinematography by	Milton R. Krasner
Film Editing by	Clarence Kolster
Art Direction by	Jack Otterson
Set Decoration by	Russell A. Gausman,Edward R. Robinson
Costume Design by	Vera West
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director	Vernon Keays
Art Department	John B. Goodman
Sound Department	Bernard B. Brown,Robert Pritchard
Visual Effects by	John P. Fulton
Stunts	Fred Graham,Eddie Parker,Gil Perkins,Allen Pomeroy,Duke York
Costume and Wardrobe Department	Eugene Joseff
Music Department	Charles Previn
Additional Crew	Gene Lewis,Marion Pecht,Sid Davis
Genres	Drama, Western
Companies	Universal Pictures, Frank Lloyd Productions, Charles K. Feldman Group
Countries	USA
Languages	English
ContentRating	Passed
ImDbRating	6.7
ImDbRatingVotes	2955
Keywords	damsel in distress,deception,double cross,bushwhacker,claim jumper