I’ll admit my expectations were low when starting to watch this routine B western from RKO. But I will just as freely admit I was pleasantly surprised how good it is. What helps this production, indeed any production with George O’Brien in the main role, is that we have a dependable lead who is no stranger to the genre.
He’s perfectly at ease in the saddle and even more at ease with his costars. I’m sure it was a very enjoyable experience to show up for work each day on the set of a George O’Brien picture.
Mr. O’Brien made 17 of these modestly budgeted oaters at RKO between 1938 and 1940. He only stopped making them because he had re-enlisted in the navy and served in WWII. He had already been a decorated veteran in WWI. So he was a real hero, relatable to people.
O’Brien still has his boyish looks at age 40, is still in shape (he takes his shirt off in one scene) and it’s believable that leading lady Marjorie Reynolds’ character would find him attractive. The kiss they share at the end is very passionate as far as screen smooches go.
As for the plot, it’s a routine drama about cattle rustling. The standard western conflict here is aided by the introduction of several gangster type villains. You might call this a western crime flick, where O’Brien and Reynolds must stop racketeers in their tracks.
There’s an impressive rustling scene that occurs at night, followed by a climactic sequence involving cattle on a train where good guys battle thieves. In one extended shot, O’Brien— a former movie stuntman— rides alongside the speeding locomotive and hops on to the side of one of the cars. In the next continuous shot, he climbs up to the top of the car, where he begins firing his gun. This is not done in a studio with a fake backdrop. And it is not filmed at a long angle with someone else performing the stunt work.
In addition to the action and romance, none of which seems cliched, we have some very nice musical numbers by sidekick Chill Wills and musician Ray Whitley. One ditty infuses a country western melody with a bit of swing. It’s a lot of fun. Every minute of this production is a lot of fun to watch.
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