Broncho Billy's chief (and far superior) rival, William S. Hart, is well represented on DVD. In addition to his epic westerns, Hart also directed and acted in shorts. One of the best is the 1915 Bad Buck of Santa Ynez, an early example of Hart's typical bad guy with a strong redemptive streak.
In this one, the redemption is brought about by a woman who has just lost her husband and her little daughter who is bitten by a snake. Hart rides hard for the doctor even though a posse is on his tail. The Alpha DVD's quality is poor but it's watchable.
The same might be said for another Alpha entry, Knight of the Trail (1915) in which bad man Hart decides to go straight after marrying Leona Hutton. Unfortunately, just before the wedding, Leona uncovers Hart's secret, so she runs off with the real bad through-and-through villain, Frank Borzage (yes, the famous director).
In this one, the redemption is brought about by a woman who has just lost her husband and her little daughter who is bitten by a snake. Hart rides hard for the doctor even though a posse is on his tail. The Alpha DVD's quality is poor but it's watchable.
The same might be said for another Alpha entry, Knight of the Trail (1915) in which bad man Hart decides to go straight after marrying Leona Hutton. Unfortunately, just before the wedding, Leona uncovers Hart's secret, so she runs off with the real bad through-and-through villain, Frank Borzage (yes, the famous director).