In Kentucky just after the Civil War, the Hayden-Colby feud leads to Jed Colby being sent to prison for 15 years for murder. The Haydens head for Nevada and when Colby gets out of prison he ... Read allIn Kentucky just after the Civil War, the Hayden-Colby feud leads to Jed Colby being sent to prison for 15 years for murder. The Haydens head for Nevada and when Colby gets out of prison he heads there also seeking revenge. The head of the Hayden family tries to avoid more killin... Read allIn Kentucky just after the Civil War, the Hayden-Colby feud leads to Jed Colby being sent to prison for 15 years for murder. The Haydens head for Nevada and when Colby gets out of prison he heads there also seeking revenge. The head of the Hayden family tries to avoid more killing but the inevitable showdown has to occur, complicated by Lynn Hayden and Ellen Colby's p... Read all
- Eli Bruce
- (as James C. Eagles)
- Judge
- (uncredited)
- Wounded Hayden Man
- (uncredited)
- Kentucky Sheriff
- (uncredited)
- Child Ann Hayden
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Jack Cunningham
- Zane Grey(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDuring a scene that called for Shirley Temple to hold a tea party in a barn, a mule in the barn began eating the sugar cubes on the table. Director Henry Hathaway recalled, "Shirley was irritated and tried to shoo him away. Then this mule got irritated. He turned around, and with his two back legs he hauled off at her with a kick. Shirley ducked and he missed, but instead of stopping or running away, she strode over and kicked the mule back."
- GoofsAround the 47 to 48 minute mark when Ellen Colby goes to kick the package that Lynn Haden has left for her on the rock a car on the valley floor (actually filmed in Big Bear Lake, CA) was accidentally captured during filming. It appears to be a Model T type. The action is taking place in approximately 1880, and that style of vehicle did not begin to appear until the first decade of the 20th century.
- Quotes
Granny Spelvin: I don't understand you, Mark Hayden. You've been home two weeks and Jed Colby traipsing up and down these mountains, braggin' about how he killed Chet Spelvin, and here you are packin' up, runnin' away from him.
Mark Hayden: The law will take care of him.
Granny Spelvin: The law! It ain't honorable to take a family feud to court. It won't spill no blood for yeh.
Mark Hayden: I want no blood spilled for me.
Granny Spelvin: Then you're puttin' yourself above the Prophets! An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. It's in the Book!
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits feature the names and titles on printer-press paper, and subtitles name the actors and their roles when they first appear.
- ConnectionsEdited from To the Last Man (1923)
The story begins after the end of America's Civil War in April 9, 1865. Following newspaper headlines regarding reading "General (Robert E.) Lee accepts terms of surrender at Appomattox," Mark Hayden (Egon Breacher) is introduced as a widower and soldier of the war seen returning home via coach with plans on moving out west with his family, and taking Jeff Morley (Fuzzy Knight), a drifter, with him. Prior to his arrival home, Grandpa Spelvin (Harlan E. Knight), his father-in-law, accompanied by his grandson, Lynn (Jay Ward), traveling through the wilderness, gets shot by Jed Colby (Noah Beery), who' s been feuding with the Spelvin family for years. Refusing to continue the feud, Mark arranges for the sheriff (James Burke) to arrest Colby, who is sentenced fifteen years in prison for his actions. Years later, upon his release, Colby is greeted by his mountain daughter, Ellen (Esther Ralston), who takes him to their home in Grass Valley, Kentucky, not far from the Spelvin ranch. In spite of his sentence, Colby, assisted by Jim Daggs (Jack LaRue), a former prisoner he befriended in prison earlier, intends on joining forces with him to resume his feud with the Colbys. Through the passage of time, Colby and Daggs intend to resume the feud by slowly raiding the Colby ranch, and nearly shooting at the doll belonging to Mary Stanley (Shirley Temple), Spelvin's his granddaughter. Spelvin still refuses to stir up the feud again, regardless of Colby's force of evil. Problems arise as Lynn (Randolph Scott), now grown, takes an interest in a woman, who not only happens to be Colby's daughter, but the woman Daggs intends to marry. Co-starring Larry "Buster" Crabbe (Bill Hayden); Gail Patrick (Ann Hayden Stanley); Barton MacLane (Neil Stanley); Eugenie Besserer (Granny Spelvin); Muriel Kirkland (Mary Hayden), and John Carradine and Harry Cording in smaller roles.
When sold to commercial television in the early 1950s, TO THE LAST MAN was both shortened from its original 70 minute form and retitled LAW OF VENGEANCE. Watching the restored print, compliments of the Museum of Modern Art film department in New York City, during its Turner Classic Movies cable channel premiere dated May 22, 2016, TO THE LAST MAN consisted of some elements not commonly found in motion pictures - introducing the actors and their roles through name titles in the order of appearance, from Egon Breacher (first intro) to Randolph Scott (23 minutes into the start of the story), making this the longest cast introduction on screen. Interestingly, the character introduction ends with Scott, leaving the children, played by Shirley Temple and Delmar Watson, who appear later, left uncredited. With the Zane Grey story previously produced by Paramount (1923) starring Richard Dix, it also has the distinction in having Noah Beery playing the same villainous role in both silent and sound versions.
The pace is good, cast impressive, with some intense action scenes to make this rarely screened western worth viewing, even when having to wait a good 35 minutes before little five-year-old Shirley Temple makes her first screen appearance, watching the youthful presence of both Randolph Scott and Buster Crabbe , or simply wanting to see how the story goes to the last man. (**1/2)
- lugonian
- Mar 5, 2023
- How long is To the Last Man?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 14 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1