Ridin' Wild (1925)

Starring: Kit Carson (William Barrymore)

Director: Leon De La Mothe

Studio: Aywon Film Corporation

PLOT SUMMARY:

Jim Warren (Kit Carson) is onboard a train, headed to Tucson, Arizona to escape a dreadful plague which has swept the nation. Meanwhile, Scar-Face Jordon (Jack Richardson), a cattle rustler posing as a cattle buyer, sends his henchmen led by Red Hanson (C.L. James), to make camp while Jordon rescues count sheriff's daughter Betty Blake (Pauline Corley) and her kitten from a tree, all the while getting an eyeful of Blake's shapely leg. 

Betty's father Sheriff Frank Blake (W.R. Maly), who also operates the Circle X Ranch,  receives warning about Jordon and his gang. Warren finally arrives in Tucson and is promptly thrown out of a hotel as "invalids are not welcome." Betty sees Jordon rough-up Warren and goes to comfort the sickly, young man. She tells Warren to go live alone in the hills. At sundown, Warren stumbles along Wild Cat Gulch and discovers Jordon's men camped out. Warren approaches the no-good ruffians and pleads with them to let him spend the night by their campfire. Jordon returns to the campsite, abuses Warren some more and orders his men to keep close watch of him. 

Later that week,  Betty heads out with the stage to deliver gold bullion, while Jordon and his gang prepare Warren for his first holdup. Unbeknownst to them, the sheriff is headed to follow his daughter on the journey, to see no harm becomes of her. In order to save the shipment, the coach driver kicks one of the horses to start the stage moving. An angry Jordon and his gang gallop after it, with Warren in tow. Betty is afraid for her life in the speeding, runaway stage as Warren pursues her and saves the day. The sheriff sees this and promptly deputizes Warren to carryout the delivery and also provides him with a job and lodging on his ranch.

After visiting a local doctor, Warren, now cured of his bronchitis, returns to the loving embrace of Betty. Unfortunately for them, Jordon shows up and spies on them. Betty convinces Warren to enter a local rodeo contest. Jordon pulls Betty aside and attempts to assault her until Warren stops him and the two fight it out. Warren knocks the tar out of Jordon and Jordon seeks vengeance!

It's the day of the rodeo and as Warren prepares for the contest, Jordon and his men conspire to falsely arrest Warren and beat him to a pulp. One of Jordon's henchmen "arrests" Warren and leads him out of town, to be captured by Jordon. Meanwhile, Betty and her father anxiously await to see Warren enter the contest. Warren escapes his captors and races back to the contest. 

Meanwhile, Sheriff Waddell, from neighboring Canyon County, arrives to watch the rodeo. Waddell sees Jordon return to town and captures the marauder and his posse, while Warren wins the contest and marries Betty.

FILM REVIEW: 

Ridin' Wild was a surprisingly average silent western, released through impoverished Aywon films. I say "Surprisingly" given the producer and writer for this film was the notorious, bottom-of-the-barrel producer Robert J. Horner. Horner was the lowest of the low when it came to producing "B" westerns, his films were usually produced on the cheap (very cheap!) and usually weren't much good. Horner's films were marred by weak scripts, actors and editing and there are certainly hints of all three in Ridin' Wild. There are decent to middling performances, odd editing choices and misspelled intertitles. To contemporary audiences, it is best to compare Horner to prolific schlockmeister Ed Wood, however it is an unfair comparison to make as Wood, at least, had some artistic aspirations whereas the legless Robert J. Horner had none. The film was actually somewhat competently made and featured some decent performances, especially from hero Jim Warren portrayed by a man billed as famous frontiersman Kit Carson.

Carson was, in reality, Elia Bulakh, a Russian born actor who also went by the name of William Barrymore though he held no relation to the famous Barrymore acting dynasty. Bulakh was a Cossack soldier, who  escaped execution by using the lid of a can of beef to slit the throat of his executioner. He eventually found his way to the United States He acted in many silent and sound productions, perhaps his most infamous being Victor Adamson's serial-turned-feature The Rawhide Terror, in which he portrays the title role Bulakh, also known as Boris Bullock, passed away in 1973.

Horner was as tragic as he was sleazy. He was nearly killed at the age of six while he and his brother played on a train track. Horner made it safely across the track as an oncoming train sped towards his direction, but not before the vessel took his legs with it. From there, Horner was placed in a home for crippled children where he was abused so terribly, he lost his legs to the point where he had mere stumps. Horner was a conman of the highest rank, he would take out classified advertisements in trade papers promising young actors and actresses the opportunity to become movie stars if they would help fund the production of his movies. Horner would then steal their money and flee town. He also, allegedly, propositioned his female stars. Horner would die from cirrhosis in 1942 and left behind a legacy of films which range from mediocre to piss-poor. Ridin' Wild is in the former camp.

This film received a high definition cleanup by the Library of Congress and the resulting copy I viewed was immaculate and shows how good these films could look if treated properly. Even though this isn't a landmark film by any stretch of the imagination, it still deserved the beautiful treatment it received from the LOC and I applaud them for doing so given no big names are attached to the film.

This film is so obscure, I couldn't locate an original poster or lobby card for it, so you'll have to settle for the film's title card.

Until next time, pardners.

 

The White Outlaw (1925)

Starring: Jack Hoxie, Marceline Day

Director: Clifford Smith

Studio: Universal Pictures Corporation

PLOT SUMMARY:

High atop the Sierra Mountains Scout, the white Appaloosa horse, is on the run from his abusers and finds sanctuary amidst the Sierra's glowing peaks, where many other horses have also taken root. In the valley stands a shack, home of Jack Lupton (Jack Hoxie), a once thriving cattleman whom was driven to his impoverished locale as a result of a plague which drained him of his fortune. 

Lupton is alerted by his faithful canine Bunk (Rex The Dog) to the presence of Scout atop the mountains. Lupton calls out to the animal, but Scout ignores his commands and gallops off. As it turns out, Lupton was Scout's former owner, until one of his ranch-hands brutally abused Scout, forcing the horse to flee the ranch, never to return. This causes great distress for Lupton.

Later that day, ranch foreman James Hill (Duke R. Lee), arrives to evict Lupton from the premises unless he is able to completely pay the lease on the ranch. Hill is also attempting to rid the ranch of Lupton due to their competing attentions for Mary Gale (Marceline Day). Hill and Lupton engage in a brawl, with Bunk also battling Hill and his henchmen. The hero and his loyal hound are defeated and the baddies invade the ranch house to remove Lupton's belongings. Hill and his gang lock Lupton out of his home as Mary rides like the wind to warn the man she loves. 

Mary arrives to find Lupton and his dog lying down after the brawl, where Lupton tells her of how deeply he misses his noble steed. Evicted and homeless Lupton, his new horse and Bunk settle under the stars. At the same time, Scout and a group of his friends are attempting to rescue a foal which fell into a nearby ditch while a grizzly bear attacks the animal. Scout rides off and finds his former owner and attempts to waken him. Lupton follows his old friend and helps rescue the foal. Once all is well, Scout flees his old owner yet again.

Meanwhile, back at the Gale ranch, Hill abuses the ranch's cook George Washington, Jr. (Floyd Shackelford). Mary catches this and scolds him and Hill pleads with Mary, who rejects the brutish man. Lupton returns to the ranch, with the foal and its mother in tow and hypothesizes that Scout may be the culprit for the recent brush of horse rustling which has disturbed operations at the Gale ranch. 

Hill riles the sheriff (Charles Brinley) and tells him that he believes Lupton is the one rustling horses. The sheriff confronts Lupton and tells him to bring in Scout to prove his innocence. Lupton and Mary ride out in search of Scout and find him at the water hole. Lupton attempts to rope him but Mary screams at the sight of a coyote, causing Scout to run off. Lupton finds Mary at the edge of a cliff and rescues her.

Many days later, Lupton finally captures Scout and brings him back to the sheriff and reveals to him the location of the other mares. Lupton recounts his accounts of witnessing Scout breaking down the gates and releasing the mares out into the wild. Hill, of course, attempts to discredit Lupton's story until Washington confirms Lupton's story as true and tells of his experience seeing the "White Outlaw" Scout rustle horses from the ranch.

Hill convinces his fellow ranchmen that Scout ought to be slaughtered for his actions. Lupton, distressed by this, elects himself the job of doing away with his old friend, with Hill and his henchmen trailing him. Lupton rides to a nearby cliff and double crosses Hill and his gang by sending a warning shot to Scout to run off, he then aims his gun at Hill and rides off.

Hill's henchmen discuss plans to round up the mares, which Washington overhears. Hill and his men venture off, while Washington informs Mary of Hill's plans. Washington heads off, finds the sheriff and they all head out on Hill's trail. Hill finds Lupton and the two engage in another scuffle in which Lupton dispatches Hill. With Hill kept at bay by Bunk, Lupton goes forth to find the herd of mares

While Washington finds and apprehends Hill, Lupton rescues Mary from the stampeding horses. The sheriff and Mary's father Malcolm (William Welsh) are reunited with Lupton and Mary, while Washington leads Hill to the sheriff where he is promptly arrested. 

FILM REVIEW: 

The White Outlaw was a fun and at times, emotionally gripping, silent western that deserves a restoration. Indeed the print I viewed, originating from Grapevine Video, is splicy in spots and is missing its main and end titles. The particular copy I viewed also lacked a score. However, none of this detracted from my overall enjoyment of the film. What did, though, was the gratuitous racial content of the film concerning Floyd Shackelmore's character, showing him being abused and the on-screen titles of his lines are stereotypical of the period. However, Shacklemore is provided the opportunity to exact revenge upon his oppressor, which is quite progressive given the time period. 

Jack Hoxie, born January 11, 1885 puts on a grand showing as the hero of the piece and you deeply sympathize with his plight to be reunited with his old friend. This is a real horse lovers western, with the focus being on the relationship between Hoxie and Scout, later to be renamed "Dynamite" during Hoxie's talkies. Hoxie, like many of the screen cowboys of the time, was a rodeo performer who became a popular western hero in the silent era. Hoxie, who was married a grand total of six times, thrived while at Universal but became dissatisfied with his contract and left the studio whereafter his career went into decline. Hoxie made his final film in 1933 and for the remainder of his life performed on the rodeo circuit as well as operating his own dude ranch. Jack Hoxie passed away of leukemia on March 28, 1965 at the age of 80.  

Hoxie is admittedly not the handsomest western star but he does emote wonderfully and you believe he truly loves Scout and the relationship between the two is not only charming but endearing. Marceline Day is the heroine of the piece, a former Mack Sennett bathing beauty and is possibly more well known for her appearances opposite Lon Chaney (London After Midnight) and Buster Keaton (The Cameraman), she is acceptable as the heroine and allegedly became something of a recluse after her star had faded, refusing to grant fans and interviewers access to her.

The rest of the performers are decent to middling with Shackelmore being the worst of all and a cringeworthy stereotype to boot. 

Overall, The White Outlaw is a decent showing for Hoxie, who had become one of Universal's most popular western stars alongside Art Acord and Hoot Gibson. I look forward to furthering my education on Hoxie and his body of work. 

Arizona Territory (1950)

Starring: Whip Wilson, Andy Clyde

Director: Wallace Fox

Studio: Monogram Pictures Corporation

PLOT SUMMARY:

While traveling to Santa de Oro, prospector Jeff Malloy [Whip Wilson] catches a runaway buckboard, with its driver shot in the arm. Thankfully for Malloy, the driver is still alive and it turns out to be beautiful Doris Devin [Nancy Saunders] who owns the local trading post. The post has been experiencing a rash of killings, which has caused the post to lose drivers.

Meanwhile, back at the post mysterious Otis Killburn [John Merton], who shot Devin, is amazed that she survived. Devin turns out to be his niece who became entrusted to Killburn's custody after her father passed on. Unfortunately, it turns out that Killburn has a lengthy criminal past and he has been pressuring Doris to move back to Kansas City to be with her aunt. She refuses and he hires henchman Steven Cramer [Carl Mathews] to watch the post and keep an eye on Malloy.

Malloy heads into town to report the attempted murder to the sheriff, however he is away at a convention. Malloy then heads to local assayer Jud [Frank Austin] to obtain cash for his hefty gold claim. On his way out, Malloy runs into local codger and old friend Marshal Luke Watson [Andy Clyde], who is investigating counterfeit money that has proliferated throughout the United States. As it turns out, Killburn is the culprit and has been using the trading post as a means to spread the phony funds out in the community. 

At the same time, Doris and Indian agent Greg Lance [Dennis Moore] are discussing the mysterious killings and Lance is attempting to pressure Doris into marrying him. Unfortunately for Lance, Jeff and Luke ride up to the post to look into the shady dealings. Jeff convinces Doris to hire Luke as a buckboard operator to haul pottery to and from the post. Cramer catches sight of Malloy departing the post and heads off to do away with our hero.

Lance heads to the reservation to converse with Killburn, who is working on pottery. As it turns out, Lance is in cahoots with Killburn and only intends to marry Doris so that he may have a bigger stake in the counterfeit scheme. Meanwhile, Cramer unsuccessfully attempt to gun down Malloy and Malloy heads to the top of a nearby cliff and whips Cramer off his horse and before Cramer can shoot Malloy, Malloy drills him and hides his body.

Later that night, Malloy plots to purchase the post from Devin. The next morning, Doris discovers Killburn's wallet full of counterfeit cash. meanwhile, Lance is stalking Malloy and discovers Cramer's body in a nearby shack, Malloy arrives to the post and discusses his plans with Doris, while Lance storms off to inform Killburn of Cramer's murder. While the two are in conversation, Luke shows up to pick up a shipment of pottery. He attempts to head in to the factory but is stopped by half-breed Joe [Carol Henry]. 

While riding with the pottery, Watson discovers that Killburn is hiding the counterfeit money in the pottery being transported. Joe is sent out to kill Watson, but Watson gets Joe first. Lance heads to the post and lies to Doris and tells her that Malloy is responsible for the murders. Jeff walks in and the two fight it out. Doris rides off and Luke spots her, she informs him she is headed to the pottery works and Watson heads back to the post. 

Doris arrives at the pottery works and is spotted by Killburn. Doris discovers more counterfeit money and Killburn kidnaps Doris. Hot on their trail is Jeff and Luke who arrive just in time to apprehend Killburn and rescue Doris. 

FILM REVIEW:

Arizona Territory was a decent timewaster, but a decidedly average "B" western from the genre's dying days. The film was also released during the dying days of Monogram Pictures which, just three years later, would transition into Allied Artists Pictures. As such, the film is  a decidedly lower-tier production only featuring a maximum of three key locations: town, the trading post and the pottery works and much of the film resembles more of a television production than that of a silver screen motion picture. However, to be fair to the film, most Monogram productions of the time resemble television productions, their Charlie Chan films with Roland Winters look very much the same way, flat and without much depth. I realize Monogram was lower on the totem pole then say, Republic Pictures, but one can tell the studio's days were numbered with their later productions. 

The best part of Arizona Territory is its cast. John Merton is perfect as the slimy, villainous Killburn and is the best straight actor in the film, whereas hero Whip Wilson's performance is average at best, however to his credit, he handles the bullwhip rather well. Undoubtedly though, the greatest performer in Arizona Territory is veteran comedian Andy Clyde as Marshal Luke Watson. Clyde is effortlessly charismatic as Wilson's sidekick and is not only amusing but also quite adept at fight scenes. He neither hams it up nor sleeps through his performance, striking the perfect balance between comedy and action. Clyde had recently completed a run as California Carlson, sidekick to William Boyd's Hopalong Cassidy and was nearing the end of his long-running series of comedy shorts at Columbia Pictures, being one of the longest lasting comics at the studio, second only to the Three Stooges. Clyde was indeed a veteran by the time Arizona Territory was released, having been in the film industry since the silent era with Mack Sennett Studios.

As Hollywood is so often to do, whenever something or someone becomes popular, their first instinct is to copy it, many times without full understanding of what made the original so beloved and unique in  the first place. This is certainly true with Whip Wilson, real name Roland Charles Meyers, who Monogram signed to compete with Producers' Releasing Corporation (PRC) western star Lash LaRue. Monogram even went to the extent of fabricating an origin story to the press about Wilson, stating that he was born on a ranch in Pecos, Texas and was a direct descendant of General Custer. None of these claims are true.

It must be said, LaRue exuded much more charisma in his performances, had a superior look and was overall more popular than Wilson ever was. This is not to say Wilson does not have his merits, he is a decent presence and he looks great on a horse and is adept at handling a bullwhip. In fact, Meyers served as double to Walter Matthau to perform whipping scenes in the great actor's debut film, The Kentuckian with Burt Lancaster. Meyers would pass away on October 22, 1964 of a heart attack at only 53 years of age.

If Clyde is the best performer in the film, Dennis Moore is the worst. Sure, he looks shifty enough but his line delivery is atrocious, almost at Shatner levels. Nancy Saunders is also forgettable as the heroine. The other cast members, however paltry their time on screen was, are also unmemorable.

All in all, Arizona Territory was an average "B" western while the genre was in its death throes, shot flat by cinematographer Harry Neumann and performed flat from most of the players. It goes without saying that the film is inessential but worth viewing if you're a diehard enthusiast such as myself.

Heldorado (1946)

Starring: Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, George "Gabby" Hayes 

Director: William Witney 

Studio: Republic Pictures Corporation

PLOT SUMMARY:

During the Heldorado Pioneer Parade in Las Vegas, wealthy socialite Carol Randall (Dale Evans) is sworn in as deputy sheriff of the Nevadan town, she meets up with her date, playboy Alec "Allie" Baxter (Brad Dexter), once a prominent member of society until he and his family slid into poverty. In the spirit of good fun, the two decide to take a crack at the roulette wheel located within the hotel's casino, only to lose a thousand dollars.

As it turns out, Baxter has been passing black market bills at the casino and Sheriff Glenn (John Phillips) entrusts the task of investigating the origins of the tainted money to Nevada State Ranger Roy Rogers (Roy Rogers). The sheriff considers Baxter to be a patsy for a larger crime syndicate, who is using him to pass the cash throughout Las Vegas. While the sheriff takes Baxter down to the station for questioning, Rogers ventures to Baxter's room to investigate. One of the syndicate's henchmen confiscates the money, Rogers discovers him and gives chase. The henchman steals Carol's horse and she gives chase as well. She takes a tumble off her horse, allowing Rogers to become distracted and the hoodlum to get away. 

The next day Roy, Carol and Gabby Whitaker (George "Gabby" Hayes) participate in the Heldorado Rodeo, when a message, meant to be conveyed to Roy but instead relayed to Carol that there has been a shooting at the local dam and that Baxter is the victim. Carol heads off to investigate, when Roy shows up to put a stop to it. Roy and Carol discover some of Baxter's effects, including four tickets to the Heldorado Carnival. The two venture off to the carnival for further investigation. 

Carol tricks Roy by imprisoning him in a makeshift jail cell at the carnival while she ventures off to investigate. She discovers the car used by the murderer, she and Roy decide to mingle among the crowd while keeping the car in view. Meanwhile, C.W. Driscoll (Paul Harvey) wanders over to the shooting gallery and this provides the two syndicate thugs the opportunity to get away. Carol wants to give chase but Roy is skeptical of Driscoll and his intentions. 

Roy heads to the casino and catches one of the roulette workers concealing the tainted money in a roll of papers, Roy invites the fellow into a nearby office where the man confesses and informs Roy that more bills are on their way. Later at the Heldorado treasure hunt, Driscoll charges his two right hands to ensnare Roy into a trap. Meanwhile, Carol discovers Driscoll is headed to receive more filthy funds and attempts to alert Roy, but he proceeds to ignore her. She entrusts Gabby with the task of finding Roy and informing him of the transaction. 

As Roy participates in the treasure hunt, Carol arrives at the railroad station to confiscate Driscoll's baggage. Driscoll and his men arrive, find Carol and lock her up. Gabby finally notifies Roy of where Driscoll is and Roy heads to the railroad station. A fight breaks out, with both Roy and Carol giving the galoots a thrashing. Driscoll escapes but trips and falls off a ledge. Carol and Roy arrive and apprehend Driscoll. 

FILM REVIEW:

Heldorado was quite a lot of fun and brilliantly suspenseful in its final act. Director Witney milks the suspense for all it is worth which keeps viewers at the edge of their seat. Of course, we all know that the heroes will be the victor and the villains will get theirs but it is how the final battle is executed in Witney's films which separates them from the rest of the pack. If Alfred Hitchcock is the master of suspense, then Witney is his analogous in the "B" western film genre. Using the Heldorado festival as the backdrop of an elaborate muddled money scheme is brilliant, even if Gabby Hayes is wasted in this particular outing, playing more of a background participant than upfront with the action, at least until the final act. 

The more I watch Roy Rogers and Dale Evans together, the more I become smitten with the partnership. Those who were readers of mine during the Cinema Crazed days will likely remember me comparing the two favorably to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and I still hold the comparison true. The duo is unforgettable and gel together like a well oiled machine. Even though there are some remarks made by Roy in the film that would make modern feminists wince, Dale is still center to the action and shines beautifully, even allowing herself to get physically involved in the fight at the end. Dale stood tall and proud and she never backed down from a great fight and this is what I love about her. So often the heroines in these films present themselves as bland, one-note cardboard cut-outs, so it is refreshing to see someone like Dale Evans mix it up with the baddies and take charge and it is she who uncovers a lot of the clues in the film. However to be fair, she still fills the "damsel-in-distress" quota, which will make the aforementioned feminists roll their eyes and groan. However, it must be said that these films were not produced with them in mind.

I quite enjoyed Heldorado, any chance to spend an hour with Roy, Dale and Gabby is a great one in my view and this one was a lot of fun. However, I must admit to preferring their earlier 1946 effort Roll On Texas Moon over this one. However, it must be said that even one of Roy and Dale's middling films are still superior to some of other stars better pictures.