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Desire in the Dust

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Genre
  
Crime, Drama, Mystery

Director
  
William F Claxton
Duration
  

Language
  
English

6/10
IMDb

Initial release
  
October 11, 1960

Music by
  
Paul Dunlap

Country
  
USA

Desire in the Dust movie poster

Writer
  
Harry Whittington (novel), Charles Lang (screenplay)

Awards
  
Golden Globe Award for Best New Star of the Year – Actor

Cast
  
Raymond Burr
(Col. Ben Marquand),
Martha Hyer
(Melinda Marquand),
Joan Bennett
(Mrs. Marquand),
Ken Scott
(Lonnie Wilson),
Brett Halsey
(Dr. Ned Thomas),
Douglas Fowley
(Zuba Wilson)

Similar movies
  
Alias the Doctor (1932)

Desire in the Dust is a 1960 film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by William F. Claxton, and produced by Robert L. Lippert. The film stars Raymond Burr, Martha Hyer and Joan Bennett. The screenplay was written by Charles Lang, based on a novel by Harry Whittington.

Contents

Desire in the Dust wwwgstaticcomtvthumbmovieposters43741p43741

Plot

Desire in the Dust MARTHA HYER KEN SCOTT in Desire in the Dust Original Vintage

Lonnie Wilson (Ken Scott), the son of a sharecropper, Zuba Wilson (Douglas Fowley), returns to his small southern hometown of Clinton, Louisiana after spending six years on the chain-gang for killing Colonel Ben Marquand's son, Davey, in an automobile accident. He revives his love affair with Melinda Marquand (Martha Hyer), who is now Mrs. Melinda Thomas, having married Dr. Ned Thomas (Brett Halsey) while Lonnie was serving time in her place for the accident she caused.

Desire in the Dust DESIRE IN THE DUST 1960 Boiling Sand

Somewhat miffed about all this, Lonnie incites Dr. Ned about his wife's infidelity, which Dr. Ned verifies when he catches Lonnie and Melinda in a semi-torrid embrace in Colonel Marquand's hunting lodge. Melinda, looking for an explanation, shoots and wounds Lonnie to defend her innocence by claiming she was being raped.

Desire in the Dust Desire in the Dust movie posters at movie poster warehouse

Colonel Marquand (Raymond Burr), who had bribed Lonnie to take the blame for his daughter, uses her story to have Sheriff Wheaton (Kelly Thordsen) kill Lonnie, thereby putting an end to all this mess. Mrs. Marquand (Joan Bennett) eventually faces Davey's death and realizes that she witnessed Melinda run down her little brother.

Desire in the Dust DESIRE IN THE DUST 1960 Boiling Sand

Peter Marquand (Jack Ging) and Ned return to the lodge and inform Otis that the charges against Lonnie are all lies. Exonerated, Lonnie gives Zuba the deed to the farm, and the old man dances in delight, thrilled to finally own his land.

Production

Desire in the Dust Desire In The Dust 1960 YouTube

Raymond Burr was already three years into Perry Mason when he decided to return to his movie-villain roots with Desire in the Dust.

Cast

Desire in the Dust Desire in the Dust Movie 1960

  • Raymond Burr as Col. Ben Marquand
  • Martha Hyer as Melinda Marquand
  • Joan Bennett as Mrs. Marquand
  • Ken Scott as Lonnie Wilson
  • Brett Halsey as Dr. Ned Thomas
  • Ed Binns as Luke Connett
  • Margaret Field as Maude Wilson (later Maggie Mahoney, mother of Sally Field)
  • Douglas Fowley as Zuba Wilson
  • Kelly Thordsen as Sheriff Wheaton
  • Rex Ingram as Burt Crane
  • Jack Ging as Peter Marquand
  • Anne Helm as Cass Wilson
  • Irene Ryan as Nora Finney
  • Paul Baxley as Thurman Case
  • Robert Earle as Virgil

    • References

    Desire in the Dust Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA

    Desire in the Dust IMDb Desire in the Dust themoviedb.org