JohnHowardReid
Cowboy star, Bob Burns (not to be confused with comedian Bob "Bazooka" Burns), is a pretty stolid character who has three expressions: eyes squinty (normal); eyes wide open (surprise); and eyes narrowed (disapproval). So, stolidly reliable, yes. Charismatic, no.The rest of the players are likewise not exactly a bunch to get too excited about: Dressed in unattractive dungarees, Miss Donald seems unusually chunky for a movie heroine; Tex Hewston overplays the comic relief, but just as we are getting really tired of his one "joke", he unaccountably disappears for a long stretch; Lew Meehan's mouthy villain is hammily over-indulged to the point of ludicrousness, but the three decent actors in this set-up, Jack Radke, Frank O'Connor and the sheriff are given little to do.Except for his fondness for iris effects, Carpenter's direction comes across as uninspired, and the story likewise rates as ho-hum routine, but it does incorporate some very odd (and maybe true-to-life) incidental touches, like our cowboy hero apologizing to the villains for accidentally blowing them up, and a kindly henchman assuring the heroine he'd protect her from his lecherous boss!