Dakota
“THE YEAR'S TOP ACTION ROMANCE!”
Synopsis
In 1871, professional gambler John Devlin elopes with Sandra "Sandy" Poli, daughter of Marko Poli, an immigrant who has risen to railroad tycoon. Sandy, knowing that the railroad is to be extended into Dakota, plans to use their $20,000 nest egg to buy land options to sell to the railroad at a profit. On the stage trip to Ft. Abercrombie, their fellow passengers are Jim Bender and Bigtree Collins, who practically own the town of Fargo and Devlin is aware that they are prepared to protect the little empire... trying to drive out the farmers by burning their property, destroying their wheat, and blaming the devastation on the Indians. Continuing their journey north on the river aboard the "River Bird', Sandy and John meet Captain Bounce, an irascible old seafarer. Two of Bendender's henchmen, Slagin and Carp, board the boat and relieve John of his $20,000 at gunpoint. Captain Bounce, chasing the robber's dinghy..
Top Cast
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John Wayne
John Devlin
Vera Ralston
Sandy Poli
Walter Brennan
Bounce of the Riverbird
Ward Bond
Jim Bender
Ona Munson
Jersey Thomas
Hugo Haas
Marko Poli
Mike Mazurki
Bigtree Collins
Olive Blakeney
Mrs. Stowe
Paul Fix
Carp
Grant Withers
Slagin
Robert Livingston
Lieutenant
Olin Howland
Devlin's Driver
Pierre Watkin
Wexton Geary
Robert Barrat
Anson Stowe
Jonathan Hale
Colonel Wordin
Robert Blake
Little Boy
Paul Hurst
Captain Spotts
Eddy Waller
Stagecoach Driver
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 25, 1945
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Joseph Kane
- Screenplay & Story
- Lawrence Hazard
- Original Score
- Walter Scharf
- Original Title
- Dakota
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Italian
- Runtime
- 1h 22m
- Production Studios
- Republic Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Joseph Kane
Lawrence Hazard, Carl Foreman, Howard Estabrook
Walter Scharf
Jack A. Marta
Fred Allen
Department Leadership Roster
Joseph Kane
Director
Lawrence Hazard
Screenplay
Jack A. Marta
Director of Photography
Fred Allen
Editor
Adele Palmer
Costume Design
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
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Dakota.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Dakota.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Dakota
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Dakota about?
In 1871, professional gambler John Devlin elopes with Sandra "Sandy" Poli, daughter of Marko Poli, an immigrant who has risen to railroad tycoon. Sandy, knowing that the railroad is to be extended into Dakota, plans to use their $20,000 nest egg to buy land options to sell to the railroad at a profit. On the stage trip to Ft. Abercrombie, their fellow passengers are Jim Bender and Bigtree Collins, who practically own the town of Fargo and Devlin is aware that they are prepared to protect the little empire... trying to drive out the farmers by burning their property, destroying their wheat, and blaming the devastation on the Indians. Continuing their journey north on the river aboard the "River Bird', Sandy and John meet Captain Bounce, an irascible old seafarer. Two of Bendender's henchmen, Slagin and Carp, board the boat and relieve John of his $20,000 at gunpoint. Captain Bounce, chasing the robber's dinghy..
Who directed Dakota?
Dakota was directed by Joseph Kane.
Who stars in Dakota?
The principal cast of Dakota includes John Wayne, Vera Ralston, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, Ona Munson.
When was Dakota released and how long is it?
Dakota was released in 1945 with a total runtime of 1h 22m.
Who composed the musical score for Dakota?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Dakota was composed by Walter Scharf.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Dakota?
Dakota holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).