Riders of the Purple Sage (1931 film)

Riders of the Purple Sage is a 1931 American pre-Code Western film directed by Hamilton MacFadden. It is based on the novel of the same name by Zane Grey, and is the second screen adaptation of the book, following a silent film version in 1925. The film stars George O'Brien as Jim Lassiter, Marguerite Churchill as Jane Withersteen, and Noah Beery as Elder Tull.

The storyline follows the events of the novel, focusing on the persecution of Jane Withersteen, a Mormon woman who defies the dictates of her church leaders by refusing to marry Elder Tull. Jim Lassiter, a gunslinger searching for his sister who was taken by Mormons years prior, arrives in her defense, and they find themselves battling religious fanaticism and outlaws in the Utah territory.

While considered a significant early sound Western, the 1931 film version has been criticized for straying from the novel’s complex themes and for its simplified characterizations. Despite these criticisms, it remains a notable example of the early sound Western genre and an adaptation of a classic Western novel. The film's preservation status is somewhat unclear; while not entirely lost, access to high-quality versions may be limited.