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Reviews
The Texas Tornado (1928)
Plenty of action in this Tom Tyler silent film
"The Texas Tornado" is a gem of a Tom Tyler silent film from FBO, mainly because it has survived and been transferred to DVD (Sinister Cinema). Only a few minutes of this print are missing although a press release in the The Honolulu Advertiser dated August 20, 1928 does mention one of the many fight scenes, this one which takes place on top of an oil derrick on the Briscoe Ranch in the film. There is plenty of non-stop action in the movie, along with some tender moments shared between Tom and Nora Lane and Frankie Darro. Darro idolized Tom Tyler in real life and it shows throughout the story. Even though it wears a B-western label, "The Texas Tornado" is recommended for general family fare or silent film fare.
Pearl of Love (1925)
Lost film according to the LOC - and casting issues with IMDb listing
According to the LOC's American Silent Feature Film Database, "The Pearl of Love" is considered a lost film which is a shame - it is based on Harriet Beecher Stowe's "The Pearl of Orr's Island."
There seems to be some casting issues with the IMDb listing of this silent film. According to Exhibitor's Trade Review, June 13, 1925, there is no mention of Betty Balfour being in this film at all. Also - the character of Atkinson is portrayed by an actor by the name of Paul Winchell (not the ventriloquist Paul Winchell who was born in 1922; when this movie was made, he was only 3 years old) which leads me to think this is a different Winchell than the ventriloquist. Unfortunately information about the former is very scant; I can only find one movie he made, "The Pearl of Love." Perhaps there should be a separate record for him on IMDb. Regardless, it would be nice if this silent film was located.
Two Fisted Justice (1931)
Worthwhile early B-western talkie despite missing footage
The DVD of "Two Fisted Justice" that is put out by Sinister Cinema has the first nineteen or so minutes missing from the film's original footage; this segment apparently contains the scenes where Tom Tyler meets with Abraham Lincoln regarding his new mission of being a scout in a region of the South following the Civil War. Consequently, "Two Fisted Justice" runs 44 minutes, briefer than most of Tyler's from the early 1930's which he made for Trem Carr and Monarch.
Tyler's character, Kentucky Carson, rescues Danny (Bobby Nelson) from a covered wagon raided by Indians who killed the boy's guardians. Carson takes Danny and his pet dog in under his wing. A certain degree of lawlessness reigns in town, and Danny becomes witness to the murder of Cheyenne Charlie (Pedro Regas), a local henchman.
There are a few factors which make "Two Fisted Justice" different from Tyler's other westerns of that time period. Tom is seen wearing fringed leather, sometimes with a poncho as he leads his gang into a town where a plot to commit a robbery is about to take place. The missing nineteen minutes also makes the story difficult to follow at times; for example, Tyler is seen holding and reading a letter from the President himself in the middle of the story. There are also a few intense moments in the story, particularly when the boy Danny is being drilled by a group of men as to who shot Cheyenne Charlie; the threat of having his pet dog shot if the boy did not spill the wanted facts (the viewer only hears the shot; the dog is not actually shot for we see Danny playing with his pet later on). On the positive side, "Two Fisted Justice" is also one of Tyler's early talkies and while his dialogue is actually much better than his first non-serial talkie "West of Cheyenne" (1931), no doubt he received a lot of practice, as this film was the seventh of ninth that was made and released in 1931. "Two Fisted Justice" is a must- have for all Tyler fans and any other fans of early B-western talkies.
The Blocked Trail (1943)
Look out for Brilliant!
Having only seen a handful of Three Mesquiteer movies with Tom Tyler as Stony, Bob Steele as Tucson, and Jimmie Dodd as Lullaby, "Blocked Trail" proves to be the best yet in ingenuity and humor which would later influence films like "The Shadow of the Cat" from 1961.
The three men are on their way to a job when Lullaby gets sidetracked by an Indian (a snake-oil salesman, no less) who claims to be dying of thirst and in turn, hands him a valuable map that can lead him to a gold mine. Frequently considered the dimmest of the Three Mesquiteers, Lullaby falls for it, and brings it to the attention of his saddle mates when all of a sudden they are approached by a number of people at different times asking them if they have seen a miniature horse. A miniature horse would not be hard to spot, of course, but unknown to the three heroes, Lullaby is also witness to her owner's murder.
"Blocked Trail" moves at a steady pace, unlike some of the Three Mesquiteer movies by RKO which can be blah ("Raiders of the Range" comes to mind). It is not just the stunts but the humor, mystery and intrigue – including the scenes which show the entire case from Brilliant's point of view – which makes this a highly recommended movie. Tom Tyler, Bob Steele and Jimmie Dodd are all in top shape, and as usual, get mistaken for committing the crime and spend a few hours in jail before they escape. Unlike the latter "The Shadow of the Cat", however, we do not see Brilliant taking matters into her own hooves and attempt to knock off the person who shot her master. Add to the mix the fact that Brilliant was training to be a seeing- eye miniature horse, and you have a well-spent hour of Three Mesquiteer viewing for a Saturday afternoon.