Two men — both steely-eyed and poised for a fight — faced each other across a small-town courtroom in the early 1900s. One was there for truth, the other for freedom, but how could the people of a rough Arizona territorial town like Globe tell the difference and deliver real justice?
It all came down to character in "The Dog Bite Murders," the new film set to premiere at Hollis Cinema on Friday, Nov. 7. Two pivotal characters — portrayed by Globe locals Rudy Amador and Gregory Shoemaker — help anchor the story, co-directed by Clint Clarkson.
Shoemaker, who moved to Globe in 2022, was performing as the hangman in the Ghosts of Globe tour when he quoted one of the real Dog Bite defendant’s infamous lines — “I’ll see you in hell.” Clarkson was filming the scene, and that single moment sparked a collaboration that grew into months of research, writing, casting, filming and co-directing.
Clarkson has written and directed films since 2018, but "The Dog Bite Murders" marked Shoemaker’s first foray into filmmaking. When he was offered the opportunity to work and learn with Clarkson, he grabbed it.
Clarkson said their initial conversation led them to a trove of historical records — court transcripts, newspaper articles, interviews and outlines of old trial scenes — all of which helped shape the film’s script.
As the casting process unfolded, two roles were clear from the start: defendant John Goodwin and federal prosecutor Attorney Morrison.
“We knew we wanted Rudy Amador in this movie if we could get him,” Shoemaker said. “And I knew John Goodwin was my role.”
Most of the cast came from Globe, with a few actors traveling in from Tucson and Tombstone.
Shoemaker immersed himself in Goodwin’s world, studying the court testimony of co-defendant William Stewart, who insisted on his innocence. Through that lens, Shoemaker began crafting the complex portrait of a man whose character, or lack thereof, would make him the focus of one of Globe’s most famous territorial-era cases.
Amador, who portrayed Attorney Morrison, delved deep into trial transcripts to understand his character’s motivations.
“He was apparently a flamboyant attorney who came to life in the courtroom,” Amador said.
Hours of study revealed to Amador that Morrison wasn’t just a confident lawyer, he was a man wrestling with moral conflict.
“There were times you could sense his struggle,” he said. “He was possibly sending these men to their deaths, so he had to get it right.”
Conversations with Morrison’s descendants later confirmed Amador’s instincts: The man had been both ambitious and deeply committed to justice.
The two characters could not have been more diametrically opposed. Morrison was a polished attorney from the East, likely wearing a silk necktie and seeking justice after a failed territorial trial. Goodwin, on the other hand, was a rough-hewn Arizonan fighting for his life — and his neck.
Amador, whose background is in stage performance, compared the filmmaking process to nurturing a living thing.
“When you have a great, collaborative team, you’re constantly looking at motivation and purpose,” he said. “It can be maddening — but it’s also an amazing process.”
Amador credits Clarkson and Shoemaker’s direction for the film’s depth and authenticity.
“We had wonderful directors who helped us find those emotional layers,” Amador said, noting that not all productions run as smoothly.
“We had a modest budget, not a lot to work with,” he said,“but you would have thought we had a million bucks in this project. Watching Clint . . . and Greg and seeing him rise to the occasion. It was a great story and great project.”
Clarkson added that developing characters like these often draw from lived experience.
“There’s a process where you help actors step back and connect through their own past encounters,” he said.
That’s when the performance becomes real.
Clarkson and Shoemaker sang the praises of Molly Cornwell, events coordinator of Globe AZ Main Street, manager of the 1916 Globe AZ Train Depot Complex & Museum, general locator of anything that is needed in downtown Globe, as well as part of the cast of "The Dog Bite Murders."
“I think they need to build a full-size statue of Molly somewhere Downtown,” Shoemaker said, referring to her willingness and ability to fulfill various requests for information, materials, or anything needed for the project.
He also praised Nick Arndt from Knotty Fox, who volunteered to build full-size gallows if the materials were supplied.
“This is an amazing community,” Shoemaker said. “It was wonderful to see how everyone came together.”
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