Under Texas Skies (1930)

Starring: Bob Custer, Bill Cody, Lane Chandler

Director: J.P. McGowan

Studio: Syndicate Pictures

PLOT SUMMARY:

The American Army is interested in purchasing Joan Prescott's (Natalie Kingston) horses from her Circle "A" Ranch. In gallops Captain Jack Hartford (Bill Cody), who is promptly captured by a band of horse thieves wanting to make it across the border with Miss Prescott's horses. Hartford is brought to a shack, where he is kept under the surveillance of an ape-like man, simply known as "The Dummy" (Bob Roper). The head of the horse thieves (Tom London) poses as Hartford in order to acquire Prescott's horses. It is up to the combined forces of the real Jack Hartford, Bob Bainbridge (Bob Custer) and "Singer" Martin (Lane Chandler) to stop the sale before it is too late.

FILM REVIEW:

As you will note above, I just summarized the plot of Under Texas Skies, a "B" western produced for Syndicate Pictures by the notorious J.P. McGowan. This was no easy task considering how convoluted the film's story is. You have characters posing as other characters and the barely discernible soundtrack makes following along that much more difficult. This is easily the worst "B" western I've ever seen. Not even the notorious The Border Menace (1935, Aywon) is as dreadful as this sorry excuse for a movie.

While not containing any politically incorrect elements, the film is still an awkward watch. The direction choices by McGowan are strange, with bizarre camera movements, close-ups and the all-together roughshod photography by Otto Himm compounds matters that much more. The most bizarre element of the whole film is Bob Roper's ape-like "Dummy" character who is certainly the most gruesome henchman this side of Jaws in the James Bond franchise. Roper constantly lumbers into the camera's lens as if he's never seen one before. The more I think about him, the more I'm thinking that professional wrestler George "The Animal" Steele stole his gimmick from this guy. Roper doesn't speak at all during the film, not even a grunt, which makes his character quite disturbing. 

Equally disturbing is the absolutely atrocious acting from everyone involved. Even a high school play comprised of inexperienced teenagers could pull off something better than this. Awkward line deliveries abound and why was the decision made to have Lane Chandler sing? He is obviously dubbed from a mystery performer ala John Wayne's later attempt at being a singing cowboy. The whole film feels off. Like something is not right here, whoever made this had no idea as to how to create even basic cinema. 

I can usually forgive acting and directorial decisions but Under Texas Skies is so absolutely bonkers in its ineptitude that I cannot just sweep it under the rug. Robert J. Horner has directed better sound films than this and, while I usually find the ineptitudes of these films to be charming, there is nothing at all charming about Under Texas Skies. On paper, a "B" western with the combined talents of Bob Custer, Bill Cody and Lane Chandler seems interesting to those of us rabid fans of these creaky, musty antiques, the execution is so bad that the brief fifty one minute runtime feels like an eternity. This is during that brief era, as described in Don Miller's Hollywood Corral, of the independent studios trying to throw all of their second-third tier cowboy stars into one movie. These were interesting experiments, I reviewed one awhile back (Westward Bound, also 1930, Syndicate), but when the actors have no chemistry as evident in Under Texas Skies, the experiment fails.

If the sound films of Robert J. Horner are considered trash, then Under Texas Skies must be the absolute stinkiest of cow droppings. Indeed, if one ever needed soil for their garden, they should just use a 16MM print of Under Texas Skies to help their flowers bloom. The absolute poorest excuse of a movie I've ever seen. Definitely not recommended.

Until next time, pardners!

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!