Brand of Fear

In Brand Of Fear Tom London is the local sheriff and he's a pretty tough hombre. But he's got a secret he's trying to keep from Gail Davis the new schoolteacher arrived in town. Years ago he was a notorious outlaw, still wanted in Texas for killing a lawman. When a couple of former associates come to town, the story stays secret for a while as they're both killed in a blazing gun battle.

But before he dies one of them tells the blacksmith Marshall Reed about London. Reed's an outlaw too, the blacksmith shop is a cover. But up till now he made very sure about not operating anywhere in London's jurisdiction. Now with some information on the local law, Reed feels he can operate with impunity.

Of course he does not reckon with cowboy hero Jimmy Wakely who sings a few songs and along with sidekick Dub Taylor generally rights all the wrongs before the film is over.

Tom London was a character actor who usually played sheriffs in a ton of B westerns. But in Brand Of Fear he gets to put a little dimension into what are usually stereotypical parts. Although Wakely and his singing were what was drawing the Saturday matinée crowd in, the film in many ways really belongs to London.

This was done for Monogram Pictures and does not even have the production values that Republic cowboys enjoyed. But the story is a good one and fans of B westerns will like it.