The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)

Michael Landon is the title character, one of Mosby’s men at the close of the Civil War. He and two buddies raid a Union stage, killing four men. It’s not until after the shootings that they realize the tragic truth — the war is already over.

But since they’re raiding up North, they know no one will believe them. They need to make it back to Tennessee, as soon as possible. Otherwise, a hangman’s noose is their future.

Two things hold them up. Abel, one of the threesome, is seriously wounded in the stage holdup; they need to get him to a doc. And Dooley’s love, Laura (Jo Morrow), lives nearby. He doesn’t want to flee the area without taking her along.

But her dad isn’t eager to see her leave. And then there’s the other man who loves her (Jack Hogan as Grayson). He’ll stop at nothing to stop Dooley.

Michael Landon as Tom Dooley, about to hit a Union stagecoach in The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)

Jo Morrow as Laura Foster, reacting to being struck by her father in The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)

Review:

Taunt, tightly constructed little film. A minor classic based on the 1958 hit from the Kingston Trio by the same name. And there’s fortunately no attempt to foist a happy Hollywood ending on this tragic tale.

Throughout the film, Dooley and sidekick Country Boy (Richard Rust in a fine performance) seem on the verge of making their getaway. But something always goes wrong. And Landon and Morrow are convincing enough in their roles that you can’t help but root for something to go right.

The film is filled with wonderful minor characters, like the grizzled doctor, like the gossipy old woman who runs the livery stable, and the one-armed preacher’s son who obviously resents Dooley for the color of his uniform.

Landon had already starred in a couple of teen flicks, including playing the lead in 1957’s “I Was a Teenage Werewolf,” before this film was made. The same year he would embark on his role as Little Joe in “Bonanza.” This marked one of only a handful of films for pretty Jo Marrow, who gave birth to a deaf daughter in 1964 and stepped away from acting for a while.

Richard Rust as Country Boy, Dooley’s right-hand man in The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)

Dee Pollock as Abel, the wounded Confederate soldier, strapped to his horse in The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)

Directed by:
Ted Post

Cast:
Michael Landon … Tom Dooley
Jo Morrow … Laura Foster
Jack Hogan … Charlie Grayson
Richard Rust … Country Boy
Dee Pollock … Abel
Ken Lynch … Laura’s dad
Howard Wright … Sheriff
Ralph Moody … Doc Henry
John Cliff … Lieutenant
Cheerio Meredit … Meg
Gary Hunley … Doc’s grandson
Anthony Jocim … Preacher
Jeff Morris … Confederate soldier

Runtime: 79 min.

Title tune: “Tom Dooley” by the Kingston Trio

Jack Hogan as Charlie Grayson, the young man who wants Laura for his own in The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)

Ken Lynch as Mr. Foster, Laura’s dad, trying to keep her from leaving home in The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)

Memorable lines:

Doc: “You Rebs don’t wanna give up, do ya?”
Tom Dooley: “We didn’t know the war was over.”
Doc: “Suppose we hang ya, to make it sink in.”

Tom Dooley, after Abel falls off his horse and dies, partly because he didn’t tie him down: “Country, I just keep getting the feeling I cut him loose from us. I knew he was going to die, and I just cut him loose. Just run out on him.”
Country Boy: “Now listen to me, buddy, will you? Man’s got little enough choice. He oughta be able to die the way he wants.”

Tom Dooley: “You a preacher?”
Preacher: “Was at one time.”
Dooley: “You still marry people?”
Preacher: “Got a dollar?”
Dooley nods
Preacher: “Got a girl?”
Dooley: “Uh-umm.”
Preacher: “I can marry ya.”

Ralph Moody as Doc Henry, asking questions about his new patient in The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)

John Cliff as the Union lieutenant on the search for the stage robbers in The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)

Howard Wright as the sheriff in The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)

Michael Landon as Tom Dooley and Jo Morrow as Laura Foster, on their way to see a preacher in The Legend of Tom Dooley (1959)