ca-corbett Reviews

The Law Rides Again (1943)

Ken Maynard & Hoot Gibson.....together again !

[4/10 · 14 May 2008]

This WWII era western quickie features two former cowboy legends in the latter phase of their illustrious cowboy careers . Ken Maynard & Hoot Gibson star in this tale of 2 cowboy heroes versus a crooked Indian agency. Thrown in for good measure are the standard gun-play, fisticuffs and general sagebrush mayhem !

This entry in the Trail Blazers series also features western favorite Chief Thundercloud ( a former screen "Tonto"). The plot is familiar and a little dated by today's standards. Maynard & Gibson tried their best, but by this phase of their careers, their best work was behind them.

Below average....... recommended for die-hard fans only.

Fugitive from Sonora (1943)

Red Barry pals a dual role !

[6/10 · 12 May 2008]

Don "Red" Barry stars here in dual western roles as a Man of the Cloth and a Man with a gun......with satisfying results. When his brother is brutally gunned down, the outlaw assumes the brothers ID to corral the bad guys once and for all.

There have been similar story-lines before and after this film, but this one was one of the better dual-role efforts. Don Barry was capable actor and always did well in revenge westerns. This one was a pretty good genre entry.

For a later film with a similar plot, look for Lee Van Cleef's spaghetti western "God's Gun".

Son of God's Country (1948)

Marshal Monte Hale saves the day !

[4/10 · 12 May 2008]

Monte Hale had a brief Post-WWII career as a singing cowboy. In this series entry, the affable crooner plays a Marshal who rides into save the locals from a land-purchase scam that comes to the attention of the local press.

The script, acting and budget of this programmer were mediocre at best. Even the musical interludes seem a bit weak here.In my opinion, the best part of this film was the casting of veteran character actor Jason Robards Sr in a key role.

These types of films were cranked out by the studios by the hundreds....... this one does not stand out from the rest. For Monte Hale fans only.

Gangs of Sonora (1941)

Three Mesquiteers go Gangbusters !!

[5/10 · 9 May 2008]

The long-running Mesquiteer series went through a number of lineup changes throughout the years, while usually maintaining a winning formula. This cowboy programmer finds the trio of Bob Livingston, Rufe Davis and Bob Steele out to defend a threatened newspaper owner , set upon by a nefarious crook and prairie ruffian.

Steele and Livingston handled the action scenes well in this one, showing their usual talent at fisticuffs. Davis provides good comic relief here, although I prefer Max Terhune in the sidekick role.

This film was standard, but enjoyable. When viewed is its context as a B-movie matinée film, this one can be a fun evening of classic western entertainment. Happy Trails !!

Desert Pursuit (1952)

Not a trivial "pursuit" ..............

[7/10 · 9 May 2008]

Wayne Morris appeared in many fine, lesser known films before and after his stellar career as a decorated WWII fighter ace. This film, though poorly budgeted, was a unique and fun twist on the standard western programmer of the era.

Morris portrays a rambler with a cache of gold, being pursued by a trio of Arabs interested in his tempting treasure. The prolific character actors George Tobias and John Doucette are great as the star's greedy enemies.

The unusual plot, fine scenery and charisma of the under-appreciated Wayne Morris make this a western well worth watching. As he demonstrated in Paths of Glory, Morris was the rare cowboy star who had some real acting chops....... Enjoy !!

Raiders of the Range (1942)

Steele and the Mesquiteers save the day !

[4/10 · 1 May 2008]

The long-running Three Mesquiteer series featured a number of line-up changes through the years. In this one, tough, wiry Bob Steele is joined by the silver screen's Captain Marvel, Tom Tyler. Comic relief is provided by Rufe Davis in this standard tale of bandits waylaying an oil-drilling operation.

The series was best when it starred John Wayne, Crash Corrigan and Max Terhune -- but this lineup was nearly as good ! The action, chemistry and humor were well blended in this fun sagebrush programmer. Tom Tyler was a great addition and Bob Steele was that rare B-star who could hold his own in the acting department. Enjoy this one !

The Marksman (1953)

This one almost hits the mark !

[4/10 · 1 May 2008]

By 1953, the era of the classic B-western was coming to a close, replaced by television and other film genres. This Western starring the under-appreciated Wayne Morris was enjoyable but failed to break any new ground. Morris portrays a sharpshooting Deputy Marshal brought in to bust up a criminal racket on the plains.

Although the script and budget were less than adequate here, Morris brought a likable toughness to this interesting role. Cowboy veteran I. Stanford Jolley was good in this one as the much put-upon Marshal. The pacing was a little slow for my tastes.......

Worth watching, if only for the fine performance by Wayne Morris.

Red River Shore (1953)

Rex Allen rides to the rescue !

[6/10 · 30 April 2008]

Famed Singing Cowboy actor Rex Allen stars in this well-made actioner from the waning days of the B-western. The Arizona Cowboy appears as a US Marshal who rides into town to head off a feared scam involving an oil strike and greedy scalawags bent on robbery & murder !

Rex is great in this one, with Slim Pickens and Koko the wonder horse along to aid him in this memorable sagebrush saga. Rex displays his rich baritone voice, flying fists and action skills in this fun film.

There were many singing cowboys in the Post-WWII era,with Rex Allen being one of the absolute best. I enjoyed this one and recommend it for all those fans of the Saturday matinées of yesteryear. Happy Trails !

Canyon Raiders (1951)

Wilson whips the bad guys .........

[3/10 · 30 April 2008]

Whip Wilson stars in another so-so entry in his short-lived B-western series. The Buck Jones lookalike comes to town to help his friend Jim Bannon who has been the victim of recent rustling activity.

Wilson was never a huge cowboy star, this film being one example of why that was the case. He was at best an average cowboy star, being overshadowed in this one by his co-stars --which include Jim Bannon, Fuzzy Knight and TV's Lois Lane, Phyllis Coates.

I personally prefer the low budget series that featured Lash Larue and Fuzzy St. John. This one was slow and predictable --- recommended for Whip Wilson fans only.

Wildfire (1945)

The colorful west !

[7/10 · 30 April 2008]

This 1945 Cinecolor B-western favorite features the great Bob Steele in a tale of wrangling, rustling & revenge . A magnificent but untamed horse named Wildfire is wrongfully blamed for rustling and horse-wrangling!

This was a rare color film for Bob Steele, with a unique twist on the standard sagebrush movie plot. Steele is very good here in the action scenes and was one of the better Cowboy heroes of the day. It was fun to see the singing cowboy Eddie Dean in the co-starring role as the local Sheriff !

Many of the films from this era are indistinguishable from each other, but the plot, performances and Cinecolor presentation make this a must-see for the Western fan. A notch above the average oater !

Six-Gun Trail (1938)

Lightning Bill strikes again !

[7/10 · 30 April 2008]

Colonel Tim McCoy appears in this enjoyable entry in his Lightning Bill series of fine 1930's B-westerns. McCoy was more than another studio actor stuffed into a ten gallon hat ---- he was the real deal ! His knowledge of the Wild West and experience on the trail again shows through clearly in this fun oater.

McCoy, aided by the comic sidekick Ben Corbett, goes undercover as an oriental to get to the bottom of a border scam. The fights, shootouts and snappy dialogue that ensue make this one of the better entries in Lightning Bill film series.

McCoy was larger than life on and off the screen --and this film will surely be enjoyed by all fans of this towering cowboy star. I recommend this one to all who are nostalgic for this kind of entertaining family film !

Red River Renegades (1946)

Nothing can stop the US Mail ............

[4/10 · 30 April 2008]

Sunset Carson, the towering B-movie cowboy, stars in this unpretentious oater from 1946. He plays a postal inspector out to foil a few sassy bandits attacking a stage line and generally creating the usual western outlaw mayhem .

Along the way, Carson encounters the lovely heroine Peggy Stewart and Tom London as a senior postal inspector . London was a prolific cowboy co-star, appearing in hundreds of films and TV episodes.

This movie is fun for the western film fan, but Carson was not a very good actor at all. While likable, he struggles here as usual. Fortunately a good supporting cast makes this an average film of a once popular genre.

Cheyenne Rides Again (1937)

A fun, creative early western .........

[7/10 · 28 April 2008]

This cowboy classic from the late 1930's features the always heroic Tom Tyler in another great western role. Tyler was at his best here, handling the action & gun play with great skill and pacing. The story of outlaw gang infiltration and capture was familiar, but creatively filmed and scripted.

It was fun to see the great Lon Chaney, Jr in this great co-starring role. Although he is best remembered today from the Wolfman and other horror roles, he actually appeared in dozens of westerns during his long career !

Tom Tyler was one of my favorite early western stars, and this one is fun, exciting and satisfying......... A great film !

West of the Brazos (1950)

B-western sidekicks take the lead !

[6/10 · 28 April 2008]

This is a fun, engaging western film from the heyday of the western programmer. Former Hopalong Cassidy sidekicks James Ellison and Russell Hayden star in this sagebrush tale of switched identities. Along the way court battles and gun play plague the stalwart heroes.

Ellison and Hayden are fine in the lead roles, although they always seemed more at ease in supporting roles. Raymond Hatton, the prolific cowboy character actor, is outstanding in a fun supporting performance. Hatton was equally capable of both drama and comedy, a rare trait in most western sidekicks.

These sort of films were designed to fill the bill at the Saturday matinées of the era. As such, this one was fun but not very innovative.

Pioneer Marshal (1949)

Singing Cowboy cleans up an outlaw hideout !

[4/10 · 28 April 2008]

This 1949 western features singing cowboy Monte Hale in a familiar tale of greed, deception and western gun play. Hale, an undercover marshal, rolls into a crooked town on the trail of embezzlers and film-flam men. What follows was a pretty standard western programmer.

Familiar western heavies Roy Barcroft and Myron Healey are prominently featured in this shoot-em-up. The music is average, but the co-stars make this a better outing than I might have expected. Monte Hale's B-movie career was short-lived, but he was a pleasant lead with good action skills. Look for John Hamilton ( Perry White of the Superman TV series) in a featured role ! Happy Trails !

Marked for Murder (1945)

Tex Ritter and the long arm of the law !

[6/10 · 27 April 2008]

Singing cowboy great Tex Ritter stars in the B-Western favorite from the 1940's. In this one, Tex appears again with frequent co-star Dave O'Brien . The two are caught in the middle of a frontier spat between sheep men and ranchers. In between a few homespun cowpoke tunes, lawyer Ritter helps to restore order amongst the various feuding factions.

Ritter was not much of an actor, but always seemed at home on the range. His personable, witty style here fore-shadowed the lovable characters his son John Ritter would also make famous a few decades later. He was a great singer/songwriter, which made this a very enjoyable western programmer.

Law of the Panhandle (1950)

B- Western shootout !

[5/10 · 27 April 2008]

Former gridiron star Johnny Mack Brown appears in this fast-paced western tale of greed and violence. Brown, a US Marshal,is called upon to bust up a ring of greedy galoots with their sights on a booming stage business. Familiar & prolific western character actor Myron Healey co-stars as the stage owner.

These types of B-western films were fairly routine, but here Brown was amiable, easy-going and performed his action scenes very well. His career lasted for over 3 decades, and this oater was a good example of the type of film that made him a star of this great genre.

I recommend this programmer to all fans of the classic B-westerns. It ain't Shakespeare, but it is a fun shoot-em up !

Sheriff of Medicine Bow (1948)

Fool's gold on the prairie ........

[6/10 · 27 April 2008]

In this 1948 cowboy classic, Lawman Johnny Mack Brown works hard to help a reformed ex-convict, played by the great western sidekick Ray Hatton. A scam involving false claims of fool's gold leads to action, suspense and a fair amount of western gun play ! Brown saves the day and sets things right in this enjoyable film.

The plot, casting and writing on this oater were a notch above other programmers of this prolific era. Brown was very believable as a western hero,aided very ably here by Hatton. I especially enjoyed the clever western banter by these two western favorites.

This film was fun from beginning to end, and is a very worthy addition to any westerns fans movie collection. Enjoy !!