Director Alan James is a man whose work I have only recently -- February of 2016 -- come across, and I am thoroughly impressed.
"The Law Rides Again" begins as a routine programmer, with our two heroes, Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson playing U.S. marshals named Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson, being sent on a routine programmer mission.
But they meet up with some so-called "Indians" and some sneaky, snaky bad guys, and the magnificent Betty Miles playing Betty Conway, a stage- coach driver for her father's stage line.
Director James has a superlative cast. Why, even the great Hank Bell gets screen credit! Kenne -- here called Ken -- Duncan plays a sheriff and Emmett Lynn plays the scout.
Elegant Jack La Rue plays the double-crossing bad guy, but just whom he is double-crossing is in doubt.
So there are lots of characters, an involved plot, lots of action, and Mr. James captures it all beautifully with his moving cameras and superb stunt work from Cliff Lyons, Ben Corbett, and Wally Wales, who also plays a deputy.
OK, it was a programmer. At least so it was intended, but it rises above the routine, very much because of the directing, very much because of the cast -- Betty Miles should have had her own long-running series because she was a champion rider and a very good actress -- and very much because the story is filled with action.
I recommend "The Law Rides Again" -- and even the title is a good one, and if you listen to the dialogue from the beginning, you'll see why -- and you can find it at YouTube. It's a lot of fun.
"The Law Rides Again" begins as a routine programmer, with our two heroes, Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson playing U.S. marshals named Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson, being sent on a routine programmer mission.
But they meet up with some so-called "Indians" and some sneaky, snaky bad guys, and the magnificent Betty Miles playing Betty Conway, a stage- coach driver for her father's stage line.
Director James has a superlative cast. Why, even the great Hank Bell gets screen credit! Kenne -- here called Ken -- Duncan plays a sheriff and Emmett Lynn plays the scout.
Elegant Jack La Rue plays the double-crossing bad guy, but just whom he is double-crossing is in doubt.
So there are lots of characters, an involved plot, lots of action, and Mr. James captures it all beautifully with his moving cameras and superb stunt work from Cliff Lyons, Ben Corbett, and Wally Wales, who also plays a deputy.
OK, it was a programmer. At least so it was intended, but it rises above the routine, very much because of the directing, very much because of the cast -- Betty Miles should have had her own long-running series because she was a champion rider and a very good actress -- and very much because the story is filled with action.
I recommend "The Law Rides Again" -- and even the title is a good one, and if you listen to the dialogue from the beginning, you'll see why -- and you can find it at YouTube. It's a lot of fun.