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Reviews
Hunted Men (1930)
Bob Steele is Still Developing as an Actor in This Real ' Cheapie '
This silent film is one of Bob's last before the talkies . If you're looking for rip-roaring traditional western , this isn't it . Steele never wears a gun in this film .
There are a couple of fist fights in the film . One of them reminds you a Keystone Kops routine with it's comedic turns .
Steele is developing as an actor as this film so sorely demonstrates . They still are utilizing the familiar close-up of the smiling hero several times . Steele's athletic ability is shown in several ways in the fights , the mounting of horses and his riding skills . This Steele film almost is a step back from previous silents. But each opportunity to star helps in the long run .
Janet Reno reveals why she didn't make an impact in films . Lew Meehan is always excellent as the villain .
This film makes minimal use of interior and exterior sets . This film could have been shot in 2 or 3 days . I can only recommend this one if you're a die-hard Steele fan .
Cherokee Strip (1940)
A Western Feud That Covers 2 states
Here is a western that has it it all . There is plenty of action , an excellent story with some excellent dialog not to mention a great cast . This is a 'A' western with a 'B ' western flavor . "B' western good guys and bad guys abound in a ' Pop ' Sherman production .
This is mounted very similar to a Hopalong Cassidy western that Sherman was adept at producing . You get the feel of a " Hoppy " film . Many of the actors seemed to be favorites of Sherman ala John Ford and appeared in Hoppys and and other productions of Shermans
The story revolves around a feud between the Morrell ( Dix and Tyler ) and the Barrett families in Texas . The leader of the Morrell clan ( Dix ) and the Barrett clan ( Jory ) signed a peace pact after a Morrell brother was killed by the youngest Barrett ( Douglas Fowley ). The Barretts move to the Cherokee Strip to continue their nefarious ways rustling , robbing stages , robbing banks and other dastardly deeds .
Dix goes to their home base of Goliath, OK. as a U.S. Marshal so he can get the 'goods ' on them for continuing to rustlers .
The 'cat and mouse ' game between Dix and Jory is excellent with Dix one step ahead of Jory . The stagecoach with both of them is excellent starting at the relay station . For the real 'B' western aficionado , that is Bill Cody handing Jory the satchel .
This is worth the watch and you will be entertained .
Hot Saturday (1932)
small town gossips always have a field day
I have read some reviews and feel so many miss the point of this film . The intro gives the gist in a nutshell - ' a busy telephone exchange where everybody knows on Sunday what everybody did on Saturday night -and the rest of the week '.
The film is slow in developing the theme ,but it does a good job of getting all of the characters identified and their traits so the plot is ready to unfold .It unfolds quickly and then the misdeed is set in motion . Conny and Eva are the 2 " hot ones ' on the youth circuit . When they see Ruth coming back in Romer's car , they begin with their havoc . First Connie lies and and then Eva lets the cat out of the bag on the phone in front of her mother .
The film shows how quickly gossip can spread and how the story expands and the changes are received as gospel truth . The cruelty and the harshness continue to grow with the telling and re-telling . No one dare questions the veracity of the charges . Once the gossip gets going , there is no recalling the charges . The tragedy is they will never get their comeuppance because no one will trace the source . That's life in a small town where there is a busy telephone exchange
Then the gossips take over . Ruth's reputation is ruined in one day .An it continues as small towns need to have something to talk about . It grows worse until Ruth is looked upon as the town tramp and fired .
She sees marrying Randolph Scott as a quick way to end the shame , but it wouldn't in reality . She would be years living this scandal down if ever .
This was about as accurate a portrayal of the visciousness of life in a small town as you will find . This truly is a piece of 'Americana 'of life as you will find .
Jane Darwell expressed small town mentality of parents not wanting to be embarrassed by the actions of the children because they have live with the populace . Today , most parents would give it no thought
That is the reason Grant's name was pronounced 'rumor' . The ending was stilted and contrived to tone down the scandal . Ruth was getting away from it all . You see the little hesitation of Ruth as she lifts her head up and then she lays her head on Grant's shoulder . Grant's transformation is stretching one's credulousness . All of the ending was asking too much .
Across the Plains (1939)
The Search for Revenge Brings a Surprise Result
This is by far one of the better films Randall made . The locations are better than usual being done in the Lone Pine area . The script is far above average for the continuity . The story actually flows although the subplot of Randall and Moore being brothers takes the center stage . But this is unusual for a Monogram programmer . I was impressed by story ,continuity ,scenery and even acting . Randall was more subdued and especially Yaconelli . He can be a real pain as noted in the Tom Keene series .
Tansy was in charge of this film as well as 'The Song of Old Wyoming '. He wrote the script for this film and directed ' Song of Old Wyoming ' You can see without too much thought that this film was the genesis for " Song of Old Wyoming " and why. Buckskin ( Hal Price ) becomes Uncle Ezra ( Emmett Lynn ) . Both teach the kid how to carve a doll which reveals their true identity . The Kansas Kid ( Dennis Moore ) becomes The Cheyenne Kid ( Lash LaRue).
Randall's interest in Joyce Bryant has a little play which the ending reveals he is satisfied that justice has been satisfied . Moore had no interest in her . If you want to see Randall at his best , this is the one for you
The Lost Patrol (1934)
THE Lost Patrol Reflects Ford's' Philosophy of Life
John Ford's the Lost Patrol probably reflects Ford's views on life in general . Ford knew what he wanted in the way he handles the various actors in their parts and each fulfills their role admirably . Karloff is a bit over the top at times and evidently Ford wanted that . Ford's symbolism is reflected in the setting , the circumstances and the characters and is enhanced by Max Steiners' brilliant score . The characters are a " Grand Hotel " collection , but each having his own views about life and how death meets them.
The setting is Mesopotamia , the original Garden of Eden as pointed out by Karloff . Here is Eden ruined by the fall of man , bleak , barren and deserted .There are only ruins with very little nourishment for sustenance . Death is represented by the unseen Arabs. It strikes without warning or without being seen . It strikes at the most inopportune times . All want an opportunity to fight this unseen enemy that has decimated their ranks.It strikes mercilessly and cruelly and shatters all hope . Man facing his mortality controls nearly all of the discussions and the reminiscing .
The helplessness of man in the midst of his circumstances seems to be Ford's "arch" for this film . This is conveyed by the inability to see the enemy or know when he will strike . He steals the provisions needed to survive and there is no way to retrieve them .The seeming 'victory' of reaching the oasis shatters that illusion after the first night .
One other commented on the anti-Christian ( or religious ) bias of Ford that shows itself in this picture . One strong point that Ford makes is that there is ' no help from above '. The airplane seems to be a sign that help has arrived , but that hope is soon shot down . Then the two men discuss that they know nothing about flying ( read religion ) . Their final act of helplessness and unbelief is to burn the plane . No help is coming from above ( God ) .
I sat spellbound watching Ford weave a masterpiece of a tapestry of symbolism . Here is Ford at the top of his game and illustrating his genius whether you agree with his philosophy or not . This is not just a story ( and it is a great one at that ) , but it is man's response to life . That is where and why the attempted remakes have failed . They see only the struggle and try to focus on that . The struggle against odds has been done in every genre ,so they bring nothing new to the table . Ford used the struggle as a tableau for the deeper struggle of the basic dilemmas of man and life.
I will watch this over and over .
The Prairie King (1927)
3 Claimants Vie for Valuable Mine without Knowing Secret Conditon
This Gibson fare shows him at his best with 'Breezy ' Eason directing his usual fast paced style . Gibson's humor and laid-back style in this film show why he was a top Universal star during Silent Days . The action is all bloodless although there is some shooting . 3 people have done a favor for a mine owner who struck it rich . He leaves the mine to all 3 with the one in possession as the owner . However the will contains a secret provision that none of the claimants are aware of . Murdock tries to trick Barbara Worth out of the mine not aware Gibson is a claimant also . The Duel at the fiesta is an absolute masterpiece for what it is . The cutting in that scene shows a real knowledge of building tension by the use of different cuts and camera angles . No Gibson fan will be disappointed with this well-done feature . The finale is a Hoot ( no pun intended ) If you've not seen Gibson in silent films , this film will help you understand his popularity . There is a very good script , snappy direction , and the excellent use of titles for humor as well as the visual . One remark still puzzles me - " When you get to the bottom of the shaft , send me a diaphram of a Chinse laundry ". Did they misspell a title that should have been diagram ? Oh well . Doesn't detract . Worth the watch
The Durango Kid (1940)
Durango gets revenge as he protects the little guys
This is without question my favorite Starrett western . This is an exceptional western in every respect . First , this script is as well written as you will ever find in a " B " Western . The dialog ,especially between Starrett and Kenneth MacDonald is far above average . It borders on banter worthy of an " A " picture . The repartee between these two is worth a watch just for this exchange. Starrett is light and breezy while MacDonald is searching for the last piece of the puzzle to tie Starrett in as Durango in their exchanges . This is one of Starrett's best acting jobs in a western and MacDonald does an excellent job as his foil . Starrett began to look and sound bored in the later Durangos as they began to be pretty much 'cookie-cutter' and use a lots of stock footage including previous Durangos .
This is also the best use of the Sons of the Pioneers . The songs are above average . Time is devoted to some comedy with Pat Brady . They have work to do far from being a 'posse ' waiting to ride . Bob Nolan has his biggest part in any Starrett . He even doubles for Durango . They were not 'add-ons' , but an integral part of the action .
Columbia never thought of making this film into a series as Nolan plays Durango and Starrett is unmasked at the end . Everyone was in on the true identity . So theoretically this was just another entry into a fairly well made series that was at its height in the late 30's and early 40's .
The seed was planted in this film that would germinate into the signature of later Durangos . Durango protected those unable to protect themselves ala Zorro and other masked heroes. The law viewed him as an outlaw while the public viewed him as a hero ala Batman .
This is one "B " western I watch over and over . No one will be disappointed in this outstanding " B " western
Son of the Border (1933)
Unusual plot twist for 'B' western that goes nowhere ,but entertains
The premise of the plot starts out with great potential . Tom Owens ( Tom Keene ) tries to get his friend Jack Breen ( Creighton Chaney ,Jr. ) to leave town as Tom knows he is tied up with the crooks. Their deep friendship allows for Tom to sacrifice his sense of right for his friend to leave and make a new start . But just one last job is the order of the day . In the chase , it is Keene who kills his friend .
Breen's brother comes to town looking for answers . Being a teenager with no family and ridden by guilt , Keene takes him in . He wants the best for him . But Doris , Breen's girl friend also has an interest in the boy. He reminds her of Jack and he is Jack's brother .
After Keene shot Breen , Doris made a threat , " One day , I will hurt you like you hurt me ". Here is where the tension could have been exploited through the remainder of the film . I realize that time was a limit in these 'B' films but a few scenes could have done the trick . Instead this choice angle just dangles . What a dimension this could have been if properly handled .
It is interesting that there is little doubt about Doris' profession . That is not your usual 'B' ploy . Usually the female lead is working at the saloon as an undercover agent or was forced to by an uncle , etc. Then at the end , Keene announces that they will raise the boy together . Wow ! This was an adult theme and not for the little shavers .
This is what I like about early 'B' westerns, the Indies of this period and even the silents . They took chances with plots . They never fit the cookie cutter mold with their stories even when they flopped badly . Here is a plot you never saw in 'B' westerns and I have seen a ton . Just the story line alone is worth a look at this film .
I like Keene's early work especially his RKO work . His laugh was intolerable , but he had a charisma . The RKO's have the look of the Hoppy Paramounts . There is some real depth to the photography . The exteriors are sublime in their presentation almost like Star Wars or a John Ford . The story lines are above average and not the mundane . So this was an above average series .
Creighton Chaney Jr. just never had that spark on screen that marks a star . Without the Wolfman , he would be remembered as a good character actor .
Edgar Kennedy had some redeeming features as a sidekick . He didn't seem real comfortable in this role . You get the feeling he woke up with a burr under his saddle . There was no real chemistry between him and Keene . Durand definitely needed some more acting lessons and experience .
There is very little action until the end , but it was enough to qualify as a western . If you're only familiar with Keene's Monogram work , this film and other RKOs will give you a whole new perspective of him and his persona. Worth viewing ( at least once ).
The Eagle's Claw (1924)
BIG BOY foils identity theft and gets the girl and half a mine
This early Big Boy Williams starring picture was made super cheap . There are very few set changes although through editing , the director tries to convince otherwise . In reality , the plot matches the sets .
There are so many implausibilities in the script that you have to wonder if the little shavers back then didn't catch the. The biggest culprit was how Lew Meehan was going to pass himself off as Dan Carson ( Big Boy )to fool Lafe McKee when the town was so close with the sheriff and the lawyer so close .
Big Boy performs admirably in his stunts . His good nature and smile are without question his greatest assets . It is a shame he never got better material in silent or sound . Yet , the fact remains , he was second role or a character player .
Still, with so little of his silent material existing , it is worth a look to see his character being defined as this early stage of his career .
Nevada (1927)
Cooper is raw but star shines in this western
Gary Cooper is just beginning his starring film role career , but he already dominates a scene . He has not gotten to the familiar 'aw shucks -casual approach ' to every circumstance . Here he is straight up and he is good in this mode . When he displays vengeance , you feel it . Even a casual observer could tell this was a star who would be around for a long time .
Thelma Todd was beautiful as ever and she too could take over a scene . She more than held her own against Cooper in their better scenes together or maybe it was the other way around . But she could get the viewer into her thoughts .
William Powell did an adequate job . He did not have that same charisma as Cooper and it was apparent in his and Coopers scenes together . Eyes followed Cooper . Powell was starting to exhibit his urban , sophisticated charm , but it too was not developed in this stage of his career .
Ernie Adams does a creditable job. He would be part of the Gower Gulch Gang that would make him recognizable to every B western fan during the Golden era of B westerns .
The photography is excellent and showcases the locations very well . The action is good until the last part of the film . Then the pace crawls . Some scenes at the end are so predictable and are far too prolonged . It would have been better with more taut editing .It really lost its way in the scene for having Cooper go on the raid . This was extremely weak in why he wasn't at the front .
Although this was an A western for Paramount , it has a B western feel to the plot . But it has to be accepted for being just that - a well made , above average B western . Paramount would excel in this with the William Boyd ( Hopalong Cassidy ) series .
No Cooper fan should miss seeing this film . It is good also for a Thelma Todd fan . It is even good for a William Powell fan . It is good for a western film fan , but there have been much better westerns made on a much smaller budget . This is a rare film and should be in every western collectors library .
In Old Arizona (1928)
More of a morality play rather than a western -but not all moral
I have heard so much about In Old Arizona that I truly was anticipating a genuine 'western' experience since this was a Fox film . I know the production values and story lines in their silents were always entertaining . I kept waiting for a western but it never came .
One has to be able to be able to imagine the newness of sound to comprehend the audience reaction to this film at its release . The frying bacon scene has been recounted in several different publications . The newness of sound was evident throughout the picture with songs , continual dialogue (sometimes very inane ) , sound effects ,etc. The film tried to overload the senses of the viewers with sound that seemed to come in waves to awe the viewers.
The direction receiving an Academy nomination escapes me completely . It appeared the director knew it was sound , but used tried and true 'silent ' techniques . The constant smiling , grinning and bon vivant attitude of Baxter was reminiscent of second tier silent western stars ala Buddy Roosevely , Wally Wales ,Bill Cody , Bob Custer et al. They all used this carefree , devil-may care attitude constantly .
Probably the most noticeable 'throwback ' methods were the exchange between Baxter and Burgess at the end . Both had a double meaning for their phrases which could have translated into a very delightful scene . However both of them resorted to 'silent' facial expressions that let the audience in on the meaning , but not the other character . Cummings showed his lack of knowledge and faith in sound as well as subtlety in expressions , but it understandable given his background and the newness of sound.
Baxter handled himself very well , yet you wonder if the Oscar was for the sound element tied to his performance rather than the strength of his acting alone . He always did a creditable job in any picture . Burgess is another story . Her attempt to portray herself as a Hispanic vamp left a lot to be desired . Still you cannot help but see the definite ' borrowing ' for Pearl Chavez in Duel in the Sun . There is no mistaking the copy that Jones used .
Finally , the O. Henry ending for the film was a little different . You reap what you sow is very prevalent in Edmund Lowe and Burgess . They sowed deceit and reaped their just desserts . However , Baxter just goes on his outlaw ways with no consequences . He admits it will come one day for him, but we don't see it . So there is morality and amorality . Where there is no dialogue , I was fascinated how some outdoor scenes took on a John Ford Monument Valley look .
The scene where Burgess goes into the saloon to meet Lowe is priceless . She walks in and she and a customer start exchanging ' let's do business ' glances . Then she meets Lowe and begins to condemn the women who work there and castigates Lowe for comparing her to them . Her self-righteous air is her best piece of acting in the entire movie.
You knew this was precode with some of the dialogue . When Baxter tells Lowe he is known as " Conejito " , Lowe 's line asking ' is he that fast' is priceless . The allusions abound .
Still this is well worth the time to view . First for the historical as to the use of sound . Then there is the introduction of the Cisco Kid . You have to have this film to trace the evolution of the character in film . When Baxter was talking about Yaqui being his best friend , you almost expected a pan to Pancho based upon preconditioning to the pair .
The morality and the love triangle dominate this film . There is no issue to be resolved as none ever existed . You have a story of 3 people - interesting , but slow moving and slower developing . Glad I own it and watched it
Galloping Romeo (1933)
Steele & Hayes Solve a Well-Worn Stage Robbery Scheme
Bob Steele and George ( Gabby ) Hayes made several westerns together in the early 30's . This is perhaps their best chemistry in any of those films. This is the old 'someone in the trunk on the top of the stage ' plot. My first viewing of this plot is in a J.B. Warner silent from 1921 . It was used several times in the 30's , but fell into disuse during the 40's .However this is the first use of a girl to do it. The only real explanation missing is why she did the robbery except it was her father . This western moves at a fast pace as do all of Robert Bradbury-directed westerns . No big news that Bradbury is Steele's real life father .Doris Hill was one of those ' plain Jane " western heroines that would grace the 'B' westerns for 1 or 2 films and disappear. The action moves continuously around the the main focus and doesn't deviate with some meaningless sub-plots which is another of Bradbury's directorial characteristics . Steele is as likable as ever . Well worth the time to view .
Stormy Trails (1936)
Highly entertaining 'indie' - Bell in one of his best ' B' roles
This was an extremely well written screenplay for an 'indie' . It moved flawlessly with several potential subplots. It is highly unusual to have a story like this that easily could have been an "A" western with the right studio . Bell was used to his maximum even though they kept trying to capitalize on his good looks. Like so many 'indies in the 30's , a lot of actors who were stars in the silent era are in this one. There is a lot of action even though it is not of the fisticuffs and riding variety . One of the only implausibilities occur when it is demanded of the Sheriff to have an inquest when he witnessed the shooting personally . That was the only real lame section in the script.Also the question of the gold being discovered on the Storm property never was explained how it all tied into the water rights. Yes, I know they tried, but they failed. If you're looking for a real 'sleeper' that is highly entertaining , this one is for you .
Red Blood of Courage (1935)
Enjoyable little picture that is long on action and short on plot
This film features Kermit Maynard at his best. Kermit had a far better personality than brother Ken . He was 'likeable ' , but did not have the the 'star' look . He was far more imaginative in his stunts and riding than Ken . Each of Kermits films demonstrate that fact as can be seen in this film . This entire series has to rank as one of the better B-western series in the 30's . This is quite a feat considering the studio .A big drawback was most of his films were Mountie films and the public was not that much into Mounties.
Ann Sheridan is in an early role in her career . She still is getting used to the camera as seen in various close-ups , but no question that a star is in the making . The 'cheapness' of the production centers in the fact that most of the story takes place in a cabin and has a lot of chases . Still this is an enjoyable little film with some of the plot variations that 'indies ' were more prone to do than the 'cookie-cutter' formulas of the major B-western studios.They always had good germs of plots that could have been more well developed with a bigger budget.