<P> In some of his later Westerns, Grey treated Mormon men in a more neutral way, but in Riders of the Purple Sage they are simply villains who use their religion as an excuse for greed and lust . The character of Lassiter is clearly recognizable as the archetype of the Western gunman hero; dressed in black, the fastest gun around, a loner, laconic and soft - spoken, combining a deep respect for women with a quick willingness to use his guns to dole out his own ideas of justice . </P> <P> The Rainbow Trail, a sequel to Riders of the Purple Sage that reveals the fate of Jane and Lassiter and their adopted daughter, was published in 1915 . Both novels are notable for their protagonists' strong opposition to Mormon polygamy, but in Rainbow Trail this theme is treated more explicitly . The plots of both books revolve around the victimization of women in the Mormon culture: events in Riders of the Purple Sage are centered on the struggle of a Mormon woman who sacrifices her wealth and social status to avoid becoming a junior wife of the head of the local church, while Rainbow Trail contrasts the fanatical older Mormons with the rising generation of Mormon women who will not tolerate polygamy and Mormon men who will not seek it . </P> <P> Riders of the Purple Sage has been adapted to film five times . The first film version of the novel was the silent film Riders of the Purple Sage (1918) starring William Farnum as Lassiter and Mary Mersch as Jane . A second silent film version was released in 1925, starring Tom Mix as Lassiter and Mabel Ballin as Jane . The first sound version appeared in 1931, starring George O'Brien as Lassiter and Marguerite Churchill as Jane . In 1941, a fourth film version was released, starring George Montgomery as Jim Lassiter and Mary Howard as Jane . Fifty - five years later, a television film, Riders of the Purple Sage (1996), was released, starring Ed Harris as Lassiter and Amy Madigan as Jane . </P> <Ul> <Li> Riders of the Purple Sage (1918), starring William Farnum and Mary Mersch </Li> <Li> Riders of the Purple Sage (1925), starring Tom Mix and Mabel Ballin </Li> <Li> Riders of the Purple Sage (1931), starring George O'Brien and Marguerite Churchill </Li> <Li> Riders of the Purple Sage (1941), starring George Montgomery and Mary Howard </Li> <Li> Riders of the Purple Sage (1996), starring Ed Harris and Amy Madigan </Li> </Ul>

Who starred in the movie riders of the purple sage
find me the text answering this question