The Moonlighter (1953): Cast & Plot
The Moonlighter is a 1953 western directed by Roy Rowland, starring Fred MacMurray as Wes Anderson, Myra Marsh and Barbara Stanwyck. It runs 1 hour 18 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 18m (78 min)
- Director
- Roy Rowland
- Genre
- Western
- Original language
-
English - After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Moonlighter About?
The premise of The Moonlighter without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Fred MacMurray portrays Wes Anderson, a night‑time cattle rustler who is captured and jailed. Because no one has seen him, the outraged townspeople storm the prison and mistakenly lynch a hobo they believe to be Wes. Wes slips away to reunite with his former lover Rela (Barbara Stanwyck), now involved with his respectable brother Tom (William Ching). Jealous of Wes’s outlaw reputation, Tom decides to join him in crime.
The Moonlighter Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- 3d
- cattle rustling
- lynch mob
- 1900s
- bank teller
- sheriff
- jail
- barn on fire
- brother brother relationship
- two brothers in love with the same woman
- gunfight
- killing a cow
+38 more Show fewer
- double cross
- mountain hideout
- horseback riding
- murder of an innocent man
- escape from jail
- female deputy
- undertaker
- stanwyck and macmurray
- lynching
- sheriffs posse
- based on story
- story adapted by author
- firearms
- armed bank robbery
- gunshot wound
- revenge drama
- cattle rancher
- mother son reunion
- outlaw hideout
- outlaw as protagonist
- corrupt ranch foreman
- romantic reconciliation
- false accusation
- wrongfully executed
- mistaken identity
- drunkenness
- moral reformation
- death of fiance
- night job
- hero worship
- double cross by partner
- death of bank robber
- death of brother
- moonlighting
- hogtied
- romantic reunion
- fistfight
- man attends own funeral
The Moonlighter Cast & Characters
Fred MacMurray leads the cast as Wes Anderson, with Myra Marsh as Mrs. Anderson and Barbara Stanwyck as Rela. Directed by Roy Rowland; 16 actors are credited in all.
- Director Roy Rowland
-
Fred MacMurray as Wes Anderson - Myra Marsh as Mrs. Anderson
-
Barbara Stanwyck as Rela - William Ching as Tom Anderson
Also Starring in The Moonlighter
· 12 more- Morris Ankrum Alexander Prince
- Ward Bond Cole Gardner
- Charles Halton Clemmons Usqubaugh
- Jack Elam Slim
- Byron Foulger Mr. Gurley
- Sam Flint Mr. Mott
- Myron Healey Deputy Joe Bayliss
- Norman Leavitt Tidy
- William Kerwin Tony
- Tom Keene Sheriff
- John Dierkes Sheriff Daws
- Steve Rowland Marilla
More from Roy Rowland
More films directed by Roy Rowland: Man Called Gringo, Gunfighters of Casa Grande, The Girl Hunters and Seven Hills of Rome.
The Moonlighter Plot Summary
What happens in The Moonlighter from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Wes Anderson, Fred MacMurray has been moonlighting, riding the moonlit plains to rustle cattle at night. While he waits for his trial behind bars, a lynch mob led by rancher Alex Prince bursts into the jail and, due to a mix-up from a cell change during a routine cleaning, hangs the wrong man. Wes makes a break for freedom and escapes into the wild.
Full summary
The whole story of The Moonlighter, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Moonlighter?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor plays Wes Anderson?
The Moonlighter Also Known As
4 alternative titles, including “Notturno selvaggio” and “Полуночник”.
- Also known as
-
- Notturno selvaggio
- Полуночник
- No Reino das Sombras
- Le Voleur de minuit
Seen The Moonlighter?
Movies Like The Moonlighter
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Moonlight on the Prairie, Light of Western Stars and Blood on the Moon.
The Moonlighter FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Moonlighter, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Moonlighter?
The Moonlighter runs 1 hour 18 minutes (78 minutes).
When was The Moonlighter released?
The Moonlighter was released on September 19, 1953.
Who directed The Moonlighter?
The Moonlighter was directed by Roy Rowland.
More films by Roy Rowland Who is in the cast of The Moonlighter?
The Moonlighter stars Fred MacMurray as Wes Anderson, Myra Marsh as Mrs. Anderson and Barbara Stanwyck as Rela, among 16 credited actors.
Does The Moonlighter have a post-credit scene?
No. The Moonlighter has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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