Bad Buck is a jerk. He treats the Sheriff like dirt and runs amok in town until the residents decide to hang him once and for all. At the same time, a pioneer family is decimated when the dad dies--what are they to do? Well, when Buck escapes he comes upon the family and risks everything to care for them.
In context, this is a decent William S. Hart western, though I am sure that if many watch it today they'll be a bit put off by the overly simplistic plot. Just remember that in 1915, full-length films were mostly quite short and rushed--subtlety was not really seen very often. So, when Bad Buck acts like a jerk and only seconds later they are trying to hang him and when the pioneer dad dies and Buck then adopts the family, it's all very rushed but necessary in such a short film.
Some positives for the film are a moderately engaging plot and an ending that was NOT clichéd and predictable. Some might dislike the downbeat ending but I loved it---as it sure caught me by surprise.
In context, this is a decent William S. Hart western, though I am sure that if many watch it today they'll be a bit put off by the overly simplistic plot. Just remember that in 1915, full-length films were mostly quite short and rushed--subtlety was not really seen very often. So, when Bad Buck acts like a jerk and only seconds later they are trying to hang him and when the pioneer dad dies and Buck then adopts the family, it's all very rushed but necessary in such a short film.
Some positives for the film are a moderately engaging plot and an ending that was NOT clichéd and predictable. Some might dislike the downbeat ending but I loved it---as it sure caught me by surprise.