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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 129

The Painted Hills

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Synopsis

A prospector finally discovers gold, but his partner sees a chance to claim it alone. The man's loyal collie and the family he intended to help become obstacles to the scheme. The dog carries the emotional centre of a western shaped by greed and attachment.

Cast

Inspirations

Alexander Hull's novel Shep of the Painted Hills became a vehicle for the screen collie associated with Lassie. Bruce Cowling suffered a serious fall during location work, affecting his availability for his next film.

Sources and availability

The synopsis and editorial text were written for this collection. The references below were cross-checked to identify the film and its copy; each editorial section identifies its reference.

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

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Availability checked on September 10, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.