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Poster for Thundering Frontier

Thundering Frontier

Seen it?

1940 | 57 min | Western

Monday Morning Maybeearly rating

Why it’s a Monday Morning Maybe

With almost no lasting buzz and soft box office, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for most people. If you loved The Ballad of Buster Scruggs or The Wild Bunch, start here.
The mood
Easygoing.
The pace
Moves along nicely, at 57 min.
What might put you off
Made in 1940: an older pace and style.

After a handful of non-formula westerns, Charles Starrett returned to the mixture as before in Thundering Frontier. Starrett plays Jim Fillmore, kind to old ladies, small animals and heroine Norma Belknap. In contrast, the villains are kind to no one, least of all struggling building contractor Square Deal Scottie, whose projects are continually targeted for demolition and his payroll is forever being stolen at gunpoint. A good 25 percent of the film's running time is given over to Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers, whose C&W croonings are pleasant but a bit much.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsNot counted

    Not enough reviews on record yet

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 404 people sought it out in the past year

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Cast & crew

Directed by D. Ross Lederman

  • Charles StarrettJim Filmore
  • Iris MeredithNorma Belknap
  • Ray BennettEd Filmore
  • Alex CallamSquare Deal Scottie
  • Carl StockdaleAndrew Belknap
  • Fred BurnsHank Loomis
  • Bob NolanBob
  • John TyrrellBartender Mac
  • Francis WalkerHenchman Stub
  • John DilsonCarter Filmore