The Painted Desert is a 1931 English-language Western motion picture written by Tom Buckingham and Howard Higgin. The movie is directed by Howard Higgin and Bert Gilroy and produced by E. B. Derr under the banner of Path Exchange. Western pardners Jeff and Cash find a baby boy in an otherwise deserted emigrants' camp, and clash over which is to be father. They are still bitterly feuding years later when they own adjacent ranches. Bill, the foundling whom Cash has raised to young manhood, wants to end the feud and extends an olive branch toward Jeff, who now has a lovely daughter. But during a mining venture, the bitterness escalates. Is Bill to be set against his own adoptive father? Written by Rod Crawford. The painted desert features William Boyd, Helen Twelvetrees, William Farnum, J. Farrell Macdonald, Clark Gable, Charles Sellon and Al St. John. The music was composed by Francis Gromon. Cinematography was done by Edward Snyder and editing by Clarence Kolster. The movie has a running time of 85-75 minutes. It was released on 7th March 1931. Distribution rights for the movie were acquired by RKO Radio Pictures.