Westward Bound (1930)

Starring Buffalo Bill Jr., Buddy Roosevelt

Director: Harry S. Webb

Studio: Syndicate Pictures, Corp.

PLOT SUMMARY:

After engaging in yet another barroom brawl, Senator Lansing (William Marion) sends his rambunctious son Bob (Buffalo Bill, Jr.) and his friend Ben (Ben Corbett) out west to start life anew. Unfortunately for Bob and Ben, they are not only robbed of their motor vehicle but also their clothes by local ruffians. As it turns out, those ruffians are in cahoots with a cattle rustling ring led by Jim (Yakima Canutt) and they've been stealing cattle from Marge Holt's (Allene Ray) Bar "O" ranch. Ben and Bob, along with Holt's loyal ranch foreman Frank (Buddy Roosevelt) take charge after the rustlers and seek justice.

FILM REVIEW:

Westward Bound, released in 1930 by bottom-rung Syndicate Pictures, is more interesting due to its cast than its overall story. This early talkie is just as creaky and statically-shot as others produced at this time but that just adds to the overall charm of the picture. This film gives two of the screen's lesser known cowboy heroes an opportunity to team up, those being Buffalo Bill, Jr. (real name Jay Wilsey) and Buddy Roosevelt. Along for the ride you have the great Ben Corbett as Bill's saddlepal and the legendary Yakima Canutt as a gang leader.

Sadly, the charismatic Roosevelt is all but wasted in this picture. Indeed, even though he is second billed on publicity materials, he seldom factors in to the story, which is a shame as this was a golden opportunity for both Buffalo Bill, Jr. and Roosevelt to exact justice western-style. As for Buffalo Bill, Jr. himself, he is just going through his paces, his heart clearly not into putting its all into the film's production. He gets a few opportunities to exude charm but is mostly sleep-walking through the picture. The other actors are just as wooden and lifeless with only Allene Ray giving any energy to the proceedings. I simply love her making Buffalo Bill, Jr's life miserable and she is seemingly enjoying herself while doing so.

Buffalo Bill, Jr. was an enigma having been bestowed that moniker by enterprising low-budget producer Lester F. Scott, Jr. It should be noted that this Buffalo Bill, Jr. bears no relation to the more well known Buffalo Bill, Jr. as portrayed by Dickie Jones on television in the 1950's. Buffalo Bill, Jr. started in silent westerns and later held a distinction of starring in several low-budget westerns for Victor Adamson and Superior Talking Pictures including the infamous Lightning Bill (1934), a film so remarkably poor that even its opening title card is misspelled "Lighting Bill."

Although a later film, the sequences of Bill and Corbett frolicking through the countryside in their underwear gave me eerie flashbacks to the Robert J. Horner magnum opus The Phantom Cowboy (1935, Aywon). However, Corbett is ten times the talent that the hackneyed Jimmy Aubrey ever was.

Overall, Westward Bound is only of interest to those who are knee-deep into the "B" western genre and enjoy the work of the stars presented. Otherwise, it's probably best to skip this one.

Until next time, pardners!