Three Godfathers
“On the brink of hell...a baby's smile came into the darkened souls of three bad men!”
Synopsis
In a town called New Jerusalem, three bandits hold up a bank. After a gun battle with the townspeople, the three robbers retreat into the scorching Arizona desert. There, they happen upon an ill woman stranded with her child. As the mother dies, she begs the men to take care of her infant. The fugitives want to save the baby -- but to do so, they'll have to travel back to New Jerusalem, where they are wanted men. Remade as 3 Godfathers (1949).
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Chester Morris
Robert 'Bob' Sangster
Lewis Stone
James 'Doc' Underwood
Walter Brennan
Samuel 'Gus' Barton
Irene Hervey
Molly
Sidney Toler
Professor Amos Snape
Dorothy Tree
Blackie Winters
Roger Imhof
Sheriff
Willard Robertson
Reverend McLane
Robert Livingston
Frank Benson
John Sheehan
Ed Barrow
Joseph Marievsky
Pedro
Victor Potel
'Buck Tooth'
Helen Brown
Mrs. George Marshall
Harvey Clark
Marcus Treen
Virginia Brissac
Mrs. McLane
Jean Kircher
Baby Marshall
Bernard Carr
Ralph (uncredited)
Richard Cramer
Prospector Dancing with Blackie (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 6, 1936
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Richard Boleslawski
- Screenplay & Story
- Edward E. Paramore Jr., Manuel Seff
- Original Score
- William Axt
- Original Title
- Three Godfathers
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 21m
- Production Studios
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Richard Boleslawski
Edward E. Paramore Jr., Manuel Seff, Peter B. Kyne, Ainsworth Morgan, Joseph L. Mankiewicz
William Axt
Joseph Ruttenberg
Frank Sullivan
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Department Leadership Roster
Richard Boleslawski
Director
Edward E. Paramore Jr.
Screenplay
Manuel Seff
Screenplay
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Producer
William Axt
Original Music Composer
Joseph Ruttenberg
Director of Photography
Frank Sullivan
Editor
Ainsworth Morgan
Writer
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Three Godfathers.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Three Godfathers.
Christmas Movies
Christmas films from Wikipedia's list and Wikidata genre tagging.
Missing Mine
MovieList
Movies from TV Guide
MovieLens[20K:30K]
list_Western
Movies categorized under Western
BD Release: Past-1960
Movies released in 4K Blu-ray format - Past-1960
Similar Titles to Three Godfathers
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.6
6.1
6.1
6.9
7.0
5.7
6.8
7.0
6.8
4.6
7.3
6.1
6.8
8.2
5.1
5.9
6.3
7.5
7.3
7.0
More Like Three Godfathers
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Three Godfathers
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Three Godfathers about?
In a town called New Jerusalem, three bandits hold up a bank. After a gun battle with the townspeople, the three robbers retreat into the scorching Arizona desert. There, they happen upon an ill woman stranded with her child. As the mother dies, she begs the men to take care of her infant. The fugitives want to save the baby -- but to do so, they'll have to travel back to New Jerusalem, where they are wanted men. Remade as 3 Godfathers (1949).
Who directed Three Godfathers?
Three Godfathers was directed by Richard Boleslawski.
Who stars in Three Godfathers?
The principal cast of Three Godfathers includes Chester Morris, Lewis Stone, Walter Brennan, Irene Hervey, Sidney Toler.
When was Three Godfathers released and how long is it?
Three Godfathers was released in 1936 with a total runtime of 1h 21m.
Who composed the musical score for Three Godfathers?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Three Godfathers was composed by William Axt.
Is Three Godfathers based on a book or true story?
Three Godfathers is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Peter B. Kyne".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Three Godfathers?
Three Godfathers holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).