Marked Men (1940 film)

Plot summary

Bill Carver (Warren Hull) is a man who was wrongfully sentenced to prison after being framed by gangster Joe Mallon (Paul Bryar). In prison he is involuntarily involved in a jailbreak, also arranged by Mallon, who is also serving in the same facility.

The attempt to break is a failure, and Mallon and his men are soon caught by the police and put back behind bars—all except for Bill, who gets away together with his dog Wolf, and vanishes into the desert. Out in the wild he meets Dr. James Prentiss Harkness (John Dilson) who lives there with his pretty daughter Linda (Isabel Jewell). Bill stays with the doctor, but then there is another jailbreak at the prison, this time a successful one.

The escapees hold up a bank and make it look like Bill was involved in the robbery. He has to clear his name of being part of the bank robbery, and the only way he can do this is by catching the real perpetrators, Mallon and his men. He leaves his safe haven at the doctor's place and starts tracking the gang through the desert. Soon he finds Mallon and his men, who are lost in the desert and need Bill's help to find the border and cross into Mexico. He agrees to help them, seeing his chance of clearing his name, but the journey becomes a living hell for them all. Because of the lack of water and the dangers in the desert at night, only Bill, his dog and Mallon remain when they come close to the border. Bill forces the weak and starving gangster to sign a written confession.

Just as Mallon finishes signing the document, Dr. Harkness and his daughter arrive rescue them. Mallon desperately tries to kill Bill, but Bill is rescued by his dog. When his guilt is erased, Bill can return to live in peace and quiet with the doctor and his daughter.

Cast