Fighters Of The Saddle (1929)

Starring: Art Acord

Director: Robert J. Horner

Studio: Davis Distributing Division

PLOT SUMMARY:

The Wayne family, consisting of Nesta (Peggy Montgomery), Tom (Jack Ponder), Art (Lynn Sanderson) and Patty (Betty Carter), are being forced off their ranch by scheming "Bulldog" Weatherby (John Lowell) and the entire Weatherby clan. The reason for this is the elder Weatherby, the owner of a construction company, needs the Waynes to flee their land so that he may build a road through it. Weatherby enlists his son Dick (Art Acord) with the task of rushing the Waynes off their property but refuses leading Weatherby to disown his son. Weatherby's evil henchman, Dick's cousin Pete (Tom Bay) kidnaps Nesta and it is up to Dick to not only rescue his lady love, but save the Wayne ranch and repair his relationship with his father.

FILM REVIEW:

I should note upfront that my viewing copy of Fighters of the Saddle is significantly shorter in length than is listed on the Internet Movie Database and the print itself is just passably watchable. This coming from an Alpha Video DVD which pairs up Fighters of the Saddle with another late period Art Acord feature The Arizona Kid (1929, Davis) under its reissue title Pursued. In a dose of good news that one so desperately needs in this day and age, a more pristine print of Fighters of the Saddle exists in the collection of the Library of Congress.

As it stands, Fighters of the Saddle is an average late period silent western produced by the notorious Robert J. Horner and featuring involvement from Horace B. Carpenter and Ralph M. Like. There is nothing exceptional about the film, but it must be said that Art Acord emotes quite well. There is much sadness behind his eyes as he is dressed down by John Lowell's vicious and aptly named "Bulldog" Weatherby. The fights aren't exceptional but not terrible either. What may annoy some viewers is the ongoing antics of the younger Waynes as portrayed by Lynn Sanderson and Betty Carter. A recurring bit of business in the film shows Sanderson breaking out into song which elicits scolding from Peggy Montgomery, an actress not to be confused with "Baby Peggy" Montgomery. 

Of the two surviving Horner directed Art Acord westerns, The White Outlaw (1929, Davis), is the superior film and one I will likely review in depth here someday. As for Fighters of the Saddle, it is an okay film, nothing special, however I do like the interplay between Acord and Lowell. Acord, having seen better days at Universal, is on his way down in terms of popularity here. Acord's alcoholism likely contributed to his ultimate downfall. Acord, who was a steer wrestling champion and famed bucking bronco rider, looks beaten and weathered in Fighters of the Saddle, but he does display a certain level of charm which makes him likeable enough. It is unfortunate that most of Acord's earlier pictures no longer survive as these later pictures are undoubtedly unrepresentative of his abilities and body of work.

However, given all of this, I am fortunate that films like The White Outlaw, Fighters of the Saddle and The Arizona Kid survive and are available to view at all. Otherwise, Acord's legacy would be completely erased from the history books.  My gripes about the picture quality of the print aside, I commend Alpha Video for releasing this rarity from the later career of Art Acord and hope more of his films surface someday.

Until next time, pardners!