FightingWesterner John Wayne sets out to aid an old friend of his father, who disappeared amid a series of attacks by bandits and a bit of mysterious business involving the local bank. Along the way, he's deputized and leads a revolt against Yakima Cannutt's villainous gang of outlaws.One of a few Paul Malvern produced John Wayne vehicles, released by Republic Pictures before his becoming a full-fledged Republic contract star, it's nothing you haven't seen before, though it's easygoing enough entertainment, with a few nice location shots, a few rousing action sequences and and some good songs.Speaking of songs, there's a few ludicrously dubbed cowboy tunes, featuring a deep-voiced singer, lip-synced by Wayne, while strumming an old guitar. Didn't they learn their lesson with the Duke's previous turn as "Singing Sandy"?

kidboots This is another great "little" western from John Wayne made in 1935. Even though most of the crew (director, writer and even the music) were connected with Lone Star pictures, it was released by Republic during a brief takeover.John Middleton (John Wayne) gives up his rodeo dreams to help his dad's friend Hank. Stopping a fight he is arrested by the town sheriff, who really wants him to go to a little town incognito, to see who is holding the town to ransom.After jumping from a cliff edge into a river to avoid a gang of outlaws, he saves Ann (Sheila Mannors) from crossfire. After being mistaken for one of the Burns Gang, he is almost lynched but Ann intervenes and saves his life. This film is so action packed - the river scene is pretty exciting.The town is in a state of siege, as the outlaw gang holds up all wagons bringing food to the town. John takes a hand in bringing in supplies and surprises the bandits with a trick or two of his own. His next job is to round up the rancher's cattle and take them to market.Within 56 minutes there is a ton of action and John Wayne even has time to sing two songs. Distinctive Bob Kortman is spotted in the first scene as a "clocker" timing John Wayne as he ropes a steer. Yakima Canutt is the leader of the outlaws.

classicsoncall "Lawless Range" has all the look and feel of John Wayne's Lone Star Westerns, but this one came from Republic Pictures during the same era. Adding to the tone of the film is the direction of Robert North Bradbury, who also made some of the Lone Star pictures; one of his trademarks is the quick flash forward technique used once in an early sequence.The formula pretty much remains the same too, this time Wayne's character takes on two identities. He's John Middleton posing as John Allen, working undercover for the local marshal (Jack Curtis) to expose a crooked bunch known as the Butch Martin gang. Interestingly, we never see Butch Martin, presumably it was a phony name to keep the real brains behind the gang under wraps. That would have been banker Carter (Frank McGlynn Jr.), who's trying to use late mortgage pressure to put the local ranchers under.You have to give credit to some of these early Westerns for the innovative stunt work done with men and horses alike. There were a few incredible mounted horse spills in the movie that make you wonder how they could have done that. There's also a great sequence where Wayne's character takes off after two villains on horseback, and catching up to the first, jumps on the henchman's horse knocking him off while continuing to chase the second. If you rewind and pay real close attention, you can distinguish the difference in body build between Wayne and stunt man Yakima Canutt as the exchange is made. Yak portrayed the nominal leader of the Martin gang, every now and then mentioning he had to check in with the 'chief'.I got a kick out of the scene where Middleton reports to the sheriff on the ambush prepared by the bad guys at Shotgun Pass. The marshal just happens to have a couple dozen men hanging around just ready to ride into action.As an added treat, John Wayne is shown singing a couple tunes in the course of the film, but the voice is obviously dubbed in, otherwise we're listening to a low, deep falsetto. In one instance he serenades the film's romantic interest, Ann Mason (Sheila Mannors). Here again we pick up a mainstay from Wayne's Lone Star Westerns, as the movie ends, he's seen getting cozy with his girl for the final frame.

nobizinf An early b/w "two reeler" John Wayne western. It is a fun shoot 'em up, that is pure escapism. Don't look for a deep meaning. The stunt work in these early John Wayne/Yakima Canutt films is the equal of any, including those films being made today.