Three Faces West

(1940)

79 minutes

Directed by Bernard Vorhaus

Written by F. Hugh Herbert, Joseph Moncure March and Samuel Ornitz

Produced by Sol C. Siegel

Cinematography by John Alton

Distributed by Republic Pictures

Adventure / Drama / Romance

Cast:

John Wayne as John Phillips

Sigrid Gurie as Leni 'Lenchen' Braun

Charles Coburn as Dr. Karl Braun

Spencer Charters as Dr. 'Nunk' Atterbury

Helen MacKellar as Mrs. Welles

Roland Varno as Dr. Eric Von Scherer

Sonny Bupp as Billy Welles

Wade Boteler as Mr. Harris, Department of Agriculture Official

Trevor Bardette as Clem Higgins

Russell Simpson as Minister

Charles Waldron as Dr. William Thorpe

Wendell Niles as Man-on-the-Street Radio Announcer

A German doctor and his mid-twenties daughter flee to a rural farm town from Nazi-annexed Austria.  Although they are embraced by the community, the town is hit hard by dust storms, destroying their livelihood.  John Philips leads the town in a modern day wagon train to relocate to Oregon, and on the trip, Dr. Braun’s daughter, Leni, falls in love with John.  However, when the German citizen arrives to claim his payment for helping the doctor escape, Leni must choose between her duty and her love.
 
Notes:

Three Faces West has been considered by critics to be politically conservative answer to The Grapes of Wrath.