Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    EmmysSuperheroes GuideSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideBest Of 2025 So FarDisability Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Court-Martial

  • 1928
  • Passed
  • 1h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
42
YOUR RATING
Betty Compson and Jack Holt in Court-Martial (1928)
ActionAdventureDramaHistoryRomanceWarWestern

During the American Civil War, A Union-Army officer is ordered by U. S. President Abraham Lincoln to bring in Belle Starr, the leader of a Missouri guerrilla band, dead or alive. However, he... Read allDuring the American Civil War, A Union-Army officer is ordered by U. S. President Abraham Lincoln to bring in Belle Starr, the leader of a Missouri guerrilla band, dead or alive. However, he falls in love with her, does not bring her in, and is facing a court-martial.During the American Civil War, A Union-Army officer is ordered by U. S. President Abraham Lincoln to bring in Belle Starr, the leader of a Missouri guerrilla band, dead or alive. However, he falls in love with her, does not bring her in, and is facing a court-martial.

  • Director
    • George B. Seitz
  • Writers
    • Elmer Harris
    • Anthony Coldeway
    • Mort Blumenstock
  • Stars
    • Jack Holt
    • Betty Compson
    • Pat Harmon
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    42
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • George B. Seitz
    • Writers
      • Elmer Harris
      • Anthony Coldeway
      • Mort Blumenstock
    • Stars
      • Jack Holt
      • Betty Compson
      • Pat Harmon
    • 2User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos3

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast8

    Edit
    Jack Holt
    Jack Holt
    • James Camden
    Betty Compson
    Betty Compson
    • Belle Stone
    Pat Harmon
    Pat Harmon
    • Bull
    Doris Hill
    Doris Hill
    • General's Daughter
    Frank Lackteen
    Frank Lackteen
    • 'Devil' Dawson
    Frank Austin
    Frank Austin
    • President Lincoln
    George Cowl
    • General Robert Hackathorne
    Zack Williams
    • Negro
    • Director
      • George B. Seitz
    • Writers
      • Elmer Harris
      • Anthony Coldeway
      • Mort Blumenstock
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews2

    6.742
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    6boblipton

    There Once Was A Man Who Loved A Woman

    Union captain Jack Holt is ordered to capture bandit queen Betty Compson, and bring her in, dead or alive. So Jack sets off to do just that. He convinces her and her gang of toughs he is well-known crook. But when he has a chance to carry out his mission, he deliberately fubs it, because he loves the girl. Instead, he is found guilty of disobeying his orders and must suffer the punishment she was to receive: shot by firing squad. Will Miss Compson ride to his rescue?

    It's pure potboiler from Columbia Pictures under the direction of John Seitz. He spends most of the schedule having cinematographer Joseph Walker shoot them beautifully, and they are a good-looking pair. Unhappily, not all bits of the release are of top photographic quality. Some of the outdoor shots are unhappily a bit low in contrast. Still, with a good score by David Drazin, it a good 65 minutes for fans of these actors.

    Interestingly, the IMDb lists Miss Compson's character as Belle Starr -- a real life women was who a member of the Cole-Younger gang. Credits and titles on the screen call her Belle Stone. Make of that what you will.
    drednm

    Betty Compson and Jack Holt

    This late silent film from Columbia stars Jack Holt as a Union spy and Betty Compson as a rebel queen in the closing days of the Civil War.

    Compson plays Belle Stone, a character based on Belle Starr. After a Union solider shoots and kills her plantation daddy, she vows revenge and turns rebel and gathers a gang of men who ambush Union supply wagons and scouting parties.

    Holt infiltrates the gang and the sparks fly between him and Compson and his assignment is endangered by the romance. Will love win out or will he do his duty?

    Handsome production with lots of outside action shots. Co-stars include Frank Lackteen, Pat Harmon, and Zack Williams.

    The only surviving print does not contain the two color sequences. They have faded away beyond repair, but they survive in B&W.

    More like this

    The Girl from Rio
    7.4
    The Girl from Rio
    The Desert Bride
    5.2
    The Desert Bride
    The Village Sleuth
    6.4
    The Village Sleuth
    The Men Haters' Club
    5.2
    The Men Haters' Club
    Jean and the Waif
    7.2
    Jean and the Waif
    Hooray for Hollywood
    7.0
    Hooray for Hollywood
    Bogart: Life Comes in Flashes
    6.9
    Bogart: Life Comes in Flashes
    Hester Street
    7.0
    Hester Street
    Jean Rescues
    7.3
    Jean Rescues
    Vanity
    7.6
    Vanity
    The Price She Paid
    5.9
    The Price She Paid
    Enchantment
    7.2
    Enchantment

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      473 feet of 2-strip Technicolor footage was included in the film as originally released, but is not known to have survived.
    • Connections
      Remade as Renegade Girl (1946)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 12, 1928 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • None
    • Also known as
      • Conselho de Guerra
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Betty Compson and Jack Holt in Court-Martial (1928)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for Court-Martial (1928)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.