Fighting for Justice (1932) User Reviews

Decent....

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 10 September 2011]

I have seen a lot of Tim McCoy westerns during the last six months--at least 15 to 20 of them. However, all the films I have seen are his later ones--mostly from the late 30s and early 40s. That's because these later ones are often in the public domain (which can be downloaded from the IMDb link) and/or are available for very little money from Alpha Video. His earlier films, by and large, are harder to come by and I was thrilled when I saw that Turner Classic Movies was showing "Fighting for Justice" from 1932. This film isn't a lot different from his later ones, though there are a few exceptions. As for McCoy, his acting seemed a bit stiffer and his hair was not yet silver. And, unlike any of his later films, this one had music--though, fortunately, not from McCoy himself. Otherwise, it's a reasonably typical film from him.

The film begins with McCoy coming into a town where he hasn't been since he was a kid. Soon he meets up with a lady and they dislike each other. In B-movies, this DEFINITELY means they will fall in love by the end of the film! But it turns out she is the daughter of a man who apparently owns the land that was stolen from McCoy's father decades earlier. Now, McCoy's back to investigate this and stake a claim to the property. How can McCoy work through his love for the lady AND his desire for justice? See the film and find out for yourself.

This is a very straight-forward sort of western. The plot is simple, the action fast and the entire thing is wrapped up in only about an hour. It's about average for the genre EXCEPT when it comes to the music. In most B-westerns, there is music--and often by the hero (such as Gene Autry or Roy Rogers). Here we also have music but it's more like a talent show shoved into the middle of the film in order to hit its quota of music! But, now here's the odd part, I actually liked the stuff. The crazy-talented kid on the accordion playing "The Blue Danube" (an odd song for a western) was quite good and Fuzzy Knight's nonsense song was also pretty good. I actually wouldn't have minded more had it been up to this quality.

If you like the genre, then by all means see this one. Not great but very solid. Oh, and by the way, if you see this or any McCoy film and are caught off guard by his odd way of shooting, don't fret. While it looks bizarre and inaccurate, McCoy actually was a traveling trick shooter, so this odd flick of the wrist worked great--at least for him. I assume his did it this way because it just looked cool and pleased the crowds.

Blue Danube on accordion McCoy flat delivery and odd shooting style Fuzzy Knight--very unusual song--boogie

The Tall Hat

[boblipton · 6/10 · 25 July 2011]

That's the first thing you notice about Tim McCoy: that's a mighty tall hat you're wearing. Doesn't it blow off in the wind? Although McCoy's MGM westerns had ended with the coming of sound, this Columbia effort, about a man who returns to restart his father's ranch on land that all the locals think belongs to Lafe McKee, moves along like an MGM effort perhaps of a year or so earlier. The compositions, lighting and set cameras are there, although there is a brief camera movement when cowboy comic Fuzzy Knight heads over to the piano.

What strikes you most about this Columbia western is that it is carefully, almost elegantly made by Otto Brower, who spent a decade turning out movies like this for Columbia, then headed to Fox as a second unit director on major projects and was moving back into the main chair on major projects when he died in 1946. The movie's pace is slow and deliberate and builds gradually to a full head of steam. A fine piece of work.

Cattle Wars!!!

[kidboots · 7/10 · 20 May 2012]

Tim McCoy was a lifetime student of Western history and a much sought after expert on Indian sign languages. He came to Hollywood as a historical adviser on "The Covered Wagon" and was then given an MGM contract to make westerns which, he insisted, must stress the authenticity of the Indian way of life. By the time sound arrived he was employed at Columbia but again was very satisfied with the movies he made there. He was also proud of the fact that the extras were all ex-cowboys - "many were rodeo champions, a few had escaped from the law but most were cowpokes, eager to pick up the $7.50 a day they could make in pictures" he recalled.

Kim Keen (McCoy) has come to town to file a claim on some land to graze his cattle but the land is in Santa Rosa country - Tracy's ranch and Kim has already fallen foul of Miss Amy Tracy (Joyce Compton) and apparently the whole family are just as ornery and stubborn. Kim's father had the original title of the Bar A Ranch and had kept up the payments but because the records had been falsified by the local land agent both Keen and the Tracys unwittingly think the ranch is theirs.

Beligerant Mr. Tracy finally realises he is just as much a dupe as Keen when the records office mysteriously burns down on the night of the local dance. He decides to ride out to make peace with Kim and to give him the ranch which is rightfully his but he never arrives and Kim is then charged with his murder. There is an interesting musical interlude to liven up what is a pretty static western. A young boy, Mickey Condon, plays some Strauss waltzes on the piano accordion and Smiley Burnette, introduced as the village "cutup" fuses together a combination of country and scat singing ala Louis Armstrong that really works.

Among the cowboys are Walter Brennan and Robert Frazer, who I could remember from "White Zombie". Joyce Compton worked throughout the 30s and 40s - always down the cast list and usually as a dizzy dame. Again, I can remember seeing her as one of Clara Bow's dizzy school friends in "The Wild Party".