'NEATH THE ARIZONA SKIES (A Lone Star Presentation for Monogram Pictures, 1934) stars John Wayne in his tenth western for the studio. A little different from Wayne's earlier action outings forming new opening and closing underscoring, different writers and direction from the usual Robert N. Bradbury to Harry Fraser (who directed Wayne earlier RANDY RIDES ALONE (1934), and John Wayne not playing a John character. It also gives Wayne a different female co-star, a child named Shirley Jane Ricketts as an orphan Indian girl wanting to be a cowboy. Still a Paul Malvern production, it continues to be a western with no underscoring but same stock players in support, namely Yakima Canutt and George "Gabby" Hayes, the latter interestingly uncredited for his substantial role.
The story revolves around Chris Morrel, guardian and protector to little Indian girl named Nina Dowling (Shirley Jane Ricketts), whose mother has recently been deceased. Because there's legal documents entitling Nina $50,000 to an oil claim on Indian territory, and Chris believing her real father, who abandoned both mother and child years ago, to still be alive. As the two venture out to locate the father, they encounter Sam Black (Yakima Canutt) and his three henchmen with intentions on abducting the child to get the money for themselves. With John and Nina separating to distract the following bandits, Nina meets and befriends Matt Downing (George Hayes) on his ranch while John, accused of robbing the Snake River Express office, to prove his innocence to Clara (Sheila Terry) without revealing the real culprit to be her brother, Jim (Buffalo Bill Jr.). Co-starring Jack Rockwell, Weston Edwards, Phil Keefer, Earl Dwire and Frank Hill Crane.
A not bad 54 minute western blending two stories into one, having little or no time for any dull spots. With story and screenplay by Burk Tuttle resembling those hour long television westerns of the 1950s, 'NEATH THE ARIZONA SKIES contains enough action scenes to hold interest. Aside from the usual good guys versus the bad, there's John Wayne's pleasing personality and strong presence having him bond well with both heroine and child.
Available on video cassette and DVD, 'NEATH THE ARIZONA SKIES, along with other Wayne westerns from Lone Star, rediscovered and resurrected on public or independent television in the 1980s, formerly available American Movie Classics (1997-2001) cable channel, can be seen occasionally on Encore Westerns. Beware of nicely restored prints (sometimes colorized) with new but inappropriate underscoring to better but mostly hurt the potential of watching this movie. (**1/2)
The story revolves around Chris Morrel, guardian and protector to little Indian girl named Nina Dowling (Shirley Jane Ricketts), whose mother has recently been deceased. Because there's legal documents entitling Nina $50,000 to an oil claim on Indian territory, and Chris believing her real father, who abandoned both mother and child years ago, to still be alive. As the two venture out to locate the father, they encounter Sam Black (Yakima Canutt) and his three henchmen with intentions on abducting the child to get the money for themselves. With John and Nina separating to distract the following bandits, Nina meets and befriends Matt Downing (George Hayes) on his ranch while John, accused of robbing the Snake River Express office, to prove his innocence to Clara (Sheila Terry) without revealing the real culprit to be her brother, Jim (Buffalo Bill Jr.). Co-starring Jack Rockwell, Weston Edwards, Phil Keefer, Earl Dwire and Frank Hill Crane.
A not bad 54 minute western blending two stories into one, having little or no time for any dull spots. With story and screenplay by Burk Tuttle resembling those hour long television westerns of the 1950s, 'NEATH THE ARIZONA SKIES contains enough action scenes to hold interest. Aside from the usual good guys versus the bad, there's John Wayne's pleasing personality and strong presence having him bond well with both heroine and child.
Available on video cassette and DVD, 'NEATH THE ARIZONA SKIES, along with other Wayne westerns from Lone Star, rediscovered and resurrected on public or independent television in the 1980s, formerly available American Movie Classics (1997-2001) cable channel, can be seen occasionally on Encore Westerns. Beware of nicely restored prints (sometimes colorized) with new but inappropriate underscoring to better but mostly hurt the potential of watching this movie. (**1/2)