Ride Him, Cowboy
Original poster
Directed by	Fred Allen
Written by	Kenneth Perkins (novel) Scott Mason
Produced by	Leon Schlesinger
Starring	John Wayne Frank Hagney Ruth Hall
Cinematography	Ted D. McCord
Edited by	William Clemens
Production company	Warner Bros.
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	August 23, 1932 (1932-08-23)
Running time	55 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$28,000[1]
Box office	$224,000[1]

Ride Him, Cowboy is a 1932 pre-Code Western film directed by Fred Allen for Warner Brothers, starring a 25-year-old John Wayne. Based on the 1923 novel of the same name by Kenneth Perkins, the film is a remake of The Unknown Cavalier, a 1926 silent Western starring Ken Maynard, with much stock footage from the original. The film was released as The Hawk in the U.K.^[2]

Plot

John Drury is passing through when townsfolk are about to kill Duke, a horse they believe to be dangerous. He convinces them to spare the animal if he can ride it. He does, earning the gratitude of Ruth Gaunt.

He then volunteers to deal with an outlaw known as the Hawk who has been terrorizing the area. Solid citizen Henry Simms volunteers to guide him to the Hawk's territory. But Simms is actually the Hawk and he ties Drury to a tree, leaving him to die. Simms then leads a raid on a ranch, kills a man, and plants Drury's harmonica at the scene. With the help of his horse Duke, Drury manages to free himself.

A group of vigilantes, believing that Drury is the Hawk, accuse him of murder and take him to face a hanging judge. Fortunately, Ruth shows up with the news that a wounded witness has regained consciousness and confirmed Drury's claim that Simms is the real bandit.

Simms's men burst in and hold everyone at gunpoint. Simms takes Ruth with him to his hideout, but Drury manages to escape and follow them. The posse overpowers Simms's henchmen and captures the rest of the gang. Simms and Drury fight; when Drury is distracted by the arrival of help, Simms knocks him out and tries to flee, only to run into the deadly hooves of an enraged Duke.

Cast

• John Wayne as John Drury
• Ruth Hall as Ruth Gaunt
• Henry B. Walthall as John Gaunt
• Otis Harlan as Judge E. Clarence "Necktie" Jones
• Harry Gribbon as Deputy Sheriff Clout
• Frank Hagney as Henry Simms / The Hawk
• Murdock MacQuarrie as Doctor (uncredited)
• Glenn Strange as Henchman (uncredited)

Box Office

According to Warner Bros records the film earned $164,000 domestically and $60,000 foreign.^[1]