I'm not sure how John Wayne got to be working for Republic in this one shot deal. He was with Monogram at the time this was made and it even has some of the cast that was associated with his B westerns from Mongram like Yakima Canutt and Earl Dwire. Nevertheless this is a Republic production and I guess the Duke really did like the sound of that word because he soon did sign with that studio long term.
In Lawless Range John Wayne is the son of a friend of someone having some real outlaw problems on his ranch. Wayne goes to investigate and along the way picks up a Deputy Marshal's badge and an undercover identity of a wanted outlaw.
This is a particularly vicious group of outlaws. There not into just rustling a few steers, they've put up a blockade and want to starve all the ranchers out of the valley. If however you can't figure out that it's the town banker Frank McGlyn, Jr. who's the villain of the piece than you haven't seen too many B westerns from the Thirties. John Wayne in fact says it, he had McGlyn pegged from the gitgo and any aficionado of the B western will agree.
This is also one of those few westerns where Wayne was given a singing cowboy role. In an obviously dubbed voice Wayne warbles a few forgettable cowboy ditties. Now granted I'm seeing the film 71 years after it was made and John Wayne's voice and mannerism are universally known. But back in 1935 when he wasn't a national icon, yet I can't believe anybody thought that was his real singing voice.
I guess since this was his first film for Republic pictures Lawless Range has a historic significance of some note, but only dedicated fans of the Duke should bother with it.
In Lawless Range John Wayne is the son of a friend of someone having some real outlaw problems on his ranch. Wayne goes to investigate and along the way picks up a Deputy Marshal's badge and an undercover identity of a wanted outlaw.
This is a particularly vicious group of outlaws. There not into just rustling a few steers, they've put up a blockade and want to starve all the ranchers out of the valley. If however you can't figure out that it's the town banker Frank McGlyn, Jr. who's the villain of the piece than you haven't seen too many B westerns from the Thirties. John Wayne in fact says it, he had McGlyn pegged from the gitgo and any aficionado of the B western will agree.
This is also one of those few westerns where Wayne was given a singing cowboy role. In an obviously dubbed voice Wayne warbles a few forgettable cowboy ditties. Now granted I'm seeing the film 71 years after it was made and John Wayne's voice and mannerism are universally known. But back in 1935 when he wasn't a national icon, yet I can't believe anybody thought that was his real singing voice.
I guess since this was his first film for Republic pictures Lawless Range has a historic significance of some note, but only dedicated fans of the Duke should bother with it.