Trails of the Wild (1935) User Reviews

The whole Mountie force wants to get this particular man

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 18 March 2017]

This poverty row independent film was a real find. Not that Citizen Kane is any danger of Trails Of The Wild displacing it in cinema history. But I did rather like the location cinematography at Big Bear Lake in this story of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Kermit Maynard stars in this film, the story of a mining engineer who changes career after a friend who was going to join the RCMP is shot and killed. Even a prospective Mountie gets the whole force determined to get that man.

But instead Maynard is given an assignment with Fuzzy Knight to go on a missing persons case. Another mining engineer John Elliott has vanished and his daughter Billie Seward is raising a fuss.

Do you doubt what will happen. All I will say is that Maynard's mining background definitely helps solve the case.

The Big Bear Lake country is beautiful even in black and white and the story is not a bad one.

Of all people, Sam Newfield to the rescue!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 21 November 2017]

Kermit Maynard (Jim McKenna), Billie Seward (Jane Madison), Monte Blue (Larry Doyle), Theodore von Eltz (inspector), Fuzzy Knight (Windy Cameron), Matthew Betz (Hunt), Wheeler Oakman (Hardy), Robert Frazer (Bob Stacey), Charles Delaney (John D. Brent), Frank Rice (Missouri), John Elliott (Tom Madison), Roger Williams (Buck Hammond), Dick Curtis (Roper), William Desmond, Ted Mapes (mounties), Artie Ortego, Clyde McClary, Dick Botiller, Frank McCarroll (henchmen), Ed Cassidy, Herman Hack (barflies), and "Rocky".

Director: SAM NEWFIELD. Screenplay: Joseph O'Donnell. Based on the story, "Caryl of the Mountains", by James Oliver Curwood. Photography: Jack Greenhalgh. Film editor: John English. Production manager: Lewis J. Rachmil. Assistant director: Samuel Diege. Producers: Sigmund Neufeld, Maurice Conn.

Copyright 6 December 1935 by Ambassador Pictures, Inc. U.S. release: 1 August 1935. No recorded New York opening. 6 reels. 60 minutes.

U.K. release title: ARREST AT SUNDOWN.

SYNOPSIS: Two Royal Canadian Mounted Policemen are sent to investigate the mystery of Ghost Mountain.

COMMENT: Although the credits are not all that promising, this turns out to be one of Kermit Maynard's most exciting pictures.

An exceptionally strong plot is vibrantly brought to life by a surprisingly well-knit group of players. Even Fuzzy Knight renders a tolerable performance. In fact, there are solid characterizations all the way down the line.

It seems unfair to single out Billie Seward, John Elliott and Dick Curtis, but I really enjoyed their portrayals.

Even more important, so far as western fans are concerned, is that director Sam Newfield has not only risen to the challenge of utilizing real locations to advantage, but has even staged the action sequences with unaccustomed vigor.

A pleasant find at the local flea market

[padutchland-1 · 21 November 2006]

It was very much surprising to discover that this was a well-made movie. I picked up a Sinister Cinema video at a flea market and popped this thing into the VCR. Yes, it is an oldie, 1935 in fact. And yes, the acting back then was a bit stiffer as they were still getting the idea of talkies. However, having said that, the acting was generally good for the most part. There were some big names of the day in this one too. Monte Blue had a part in the beginning as a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman named Larry Doyle. But he was murdered and his friend Jim McKenna (Kermit Maynard) joined the RCMP to take up where he left off and find the murderer. The new Mountie was teamed up with partner Windy Cameron played by Fuzzy Knight. You may remember Fuzzy as the sidekick of Buster Crabbe in Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion and the side kick in many westerns with the likes of Johnny Mack Brown and Tex Ritter. The two go off into the wild mountains in search of a missing mining engineer and run into a gang of murderers. The female interest comes in the form of Billie Seward who is an unknown to me. Of course, any watcher of old cowboy movies knows the names of Monty Blue and Kermit Maynard. Monte was a handsome leading man from the silents into the talkies and appeared with many famous leading ladies including Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Gloria Swanson, Norma Shearer and Clara Bow. Kermit had a famous brother who was also a cowboy star, Ken Maynard. Kermit never made it as big, but did make a good number of movies and appeared uncredited in many more. No, this wasn't an award winner. However, for those who like the old cowboy type movies – this was just what it was only north of the border with Mounties instead of Texas Rangers. It had a good story and the acting wasn't bad either. As the sun set over the mountain, I won't tell you who got the girl (as all these oldies ended). Take a peek if you get a chance, it is worth the hour to watch it.