Marked Trails

Jack Slade kills deputy marshal Harry Stevens. His son, Bob Stevens (Bob Steele) and friend Parkford (Hoot Gibson) become U. S. Marshals and proceed to rid the town of the cut-throat gang that has been terrorizing the citizens. Bob goes undercover as an outlaw and works his way into the gang, while Hoot poses as a Dude who goes about making fiery speeches on behalf of law and order.

With his intense stare and no nonsense attitude, Bob Steele makes a formidable cowboy and Hoot Gibson a clever dude, and they make this routine western entertaining. However, there's lack of action and can meander at times.

Chezzez la femme! some bad acting--particularly by supporting actors Bob's uncle wants him to become Marshall--wants to see world first but then uncle killed.

familiar--Bob poses as baddie and Hoot is good guy Veda Van Borg--terrible accents Monogram Studios was a low-budget so-called 'Poverty Row' outfit. However, among all these independent companies producing B movies, Monogram was actually one of the better ones and made some decent films. Even their lesser films had a sort of professional look that many other Poverty Row studios would never match. So, it's surprising that "Marked Trails" is such a bad film. Even a lower-status B from Monogram should have been better than this one--with MUCH better acting! Clearly, this was among the poorest westerns produced by Monogram--and much of it might be because Bob Steele and Hoot Gibson were well past their prime and were no longer bankable stars.

The film begins with Bob's uncle encouraging him to become a US Marshall. However, Bob wants to see the world and worry about a life in law enforcement sometime in the future. But, when only moments later the uncle is murdered, Bob accepts the job and takes another Marshall (Hoot) with him to investigate. Like practically EVERY team cowboy western of the era (such as in Three Mesquiteer and Rough Rider films), one of them (Bob) poses as a bad guy and the other as a good one (Hoot).

"Marked Trails" is at times decent but never particularly inspired or interesting. And, at other times it's pretty bad. Part of it is mentioned above--the plot is VERY familiar. Most of it is because aside from Steele and Gibson, the rest of the actors could barely act--delivering their lines almost robot-like at times. Some of these 'actors' were downright embarrassing--it was THAT bad. In fact, I would say that this is probably the worst Monogram and worst Steele or Gibson film I have seen. It's a shame, but it barely limps along and is only for the most die-hard fan of the genre.

A crooked couple (who like to tie up loose ends with a knife in the back!) set their sights on a town surrounded by oil-rich farms. Unfortunately for them, the last man they knifed was the uncle of Bob Steele, who infiltrates their gang, with partner Hoot Gibson working from the outside.

It's always fun to see B-western stars team up for double the thrills. However, this time around there just isn't enough action to make it really worthwhile, though one really shouldn't expect much from a 1940's Monogram picture. Top-billed Hoot looks a little long-in-the-tooth here, leaving all the rough-and-tumble stuff (whatever there is) to Steele.

Anyone bothering to tune in pretty much knows what they're getting into and will most likely be modestly entertained.

Director J.P. McCarthy gave us some unusual moving-camera angles, including from atop a stagecoach, and he gave us quite a moving script, with co-writer Victor Hammond. Cinematography was by Harry Neumann.

While the story might be considered well within the B Western tradition, still it provides twists and turns in the plot, and some unusual moments of emotion, and many memorable characters, played by some of the best Western performers.

Two of the best and busiest B Western stars -- and they really were both stars -- Bob Steele and Hoot Gibson -- led the array, but they were joined by the lovely and talented Veda Ann Borg, whom I had never before seen in a Western.

According to her IMDb bio, she had been seriously injured in an auto accident and had to undergo large-scale facial reconstruction. Her surgeon was an artist. She was beautiful.

"Marked Trails" came along after her surgery, and watching her in this makes one think she should have had many more and bigger roles.

Her last scene was quite striking, as well as quite a fascinating departure for a B Western, a mature and intriguing moment.

Perhaps there have been many Westerns with more violent action, but there was enough here, including fight scenes with the athletic Steele -- who always makes me think he could have been a successful pro boxer -- to keep even us Western addicts happy.

"Marked Trails" is available in a not-very-good print at bnwmovies.com and I highly recommend it.

Bob Steele's uncle (Steve Clark) gives him some good advice, "It's a case of cherchez la femme find the woman and you'll find the man." It's up to newly minted U. S. Marshals Hoot Gibson and Steele to stop a relentless gang of bandits from terrorizing a frontier town for its oil supply. So the boys go undercover to try to catch the gang led by Jim Slade (Mauritz Hugo). Steele is gunman Cheyenne and Hoot is Cornelius Parkford a major town planner. Veda Ann Borg with Hugo and their gang set their sights on a town surrounded by oil-rich farms. Borg went from a 1936 screen test to her last work in The Alamo (1960). Despite her talent, she mainly worked in B movies. Her beauty is well played here as she leads Steele's uncle and the geologist (Walter Shumway) to an early demise. Jed (Ralph Lewis) leads Steele to the henchman but doesn't want to give his cut to the 'big guy'. Long time western jack of all trades Bud Osborne is Sheriff Jim. He is quite smitten by Borg too but can you blame him?