Whistling Hills (1951)

Starring: Johnny Mack Brown

Director: Derwin Abrahams 

Studio: Monogram Pictures

PLOT SUMMARY:

A western town is besieged by a gang of outlaws who continuously target stages carrying payroll. These men are seemingly notified by a female ghost, clad in black and on horseback, who signals the band with an intense, loud whistle. As it turns out, this dreadful series of events was inspired by an old Spanish tale of two lovers who died in the "whistling hills." A cowboy (Johnny Mack Brown) arrives in town, searching for a horse thief but is enlisted to assist Sheriff Dave Holland (Jimmy Ellison) snuff out the gang by insurance man Chet Norman (I. Stanford Jolley). Unbeknownst to Johnny, Holland and Norman, the culprit of these robberies are two individuals with close ties to Norman. It is up to Johnny and Holland to unmask the "ghost" haunting the "whistling hills."

FILM REVIEW:

This late period Johnny Mack Brown vehicle was yet another recommendation from my friend Steve Latshaw, director of the Museum of Western Film History (Museum Website) and I couldn't be happier with these selections. Each one of them has been exceptional and Whistling Hills is no different. 

Indeed, the film is loaded with exciting and exceptional action as well as a compelling plotline as penned by Jack Lewis, Fred Myton and Lew Hodgson. The film's twist ending is one of the most unexpected in the history of the "B" western and as someone well versed in these films, that's saying something. The cast is great with the brilliant I. Stanford Jolley playing against type as one of the film's protagonists. Noel Niell, not yet Lois Lane of The Adventures of Superman fame has a nice showing as Beth Fairchild and Jimmy Ellison, long gone from his days as Hoppy's pal, also performs nicely. 

Johnny Mack Brown, of Dothan, Alabama, was already a screen veteran by the time of the release of Whistling Hills, going back to the late 1920's when he appeared in Mary Pickford's first talkie Coquette (1929, MGM). He was also an established cowboy star, having worked for Supreme Pictures, Republic Pictures, Universal Pictures and finally Monogram Pictures. The one time football hero's days in the movies were numbered as Monogram became Allied Artists and dropped their western programmers. However, Johnny Mack Brown is still fondly remembered by front row kids and "B" western aficionados alike.

Whistling Hills is a brilliantly directed, written and acted "B" western from the genre's dying days. Filled with plot twists, great fights and exciting gunplay and showed how venerable the genre could have been had the studios continued producing them. From a different area of interest, I highly recommend director Derwin Abrahams' late period Charlie Chan entry Docks of New Orleans (1948, Monogram), one of the best later Chans starring Roland Winters.

Whistling Hills is highly recommended and one of the best films I've seen thusfar.

Until next time, pardners!