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.