Border Devils

Like my cousin, Marion Robert and eventually Michael Morrison, I love Harry Carey, and Harry Carey, Jr., too. (Most people, but not all, know that John Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison. When his brother was born, his strange mother took the Robert away from him and gave it to the new boy, and re-naming him Marion Mitchell. As he grew into his teens, though, he didn't want to be Marion Mitchell so he re-named himself Marion Michael, which I find to be a perfect choice except maybe for the "Marion." I would have done the same.)

One of the glories of YouTube is the presence of several Harry Carey movies, including "Border Devils," an action-packed western I am very grateful to have found.

It's not a great print, there at YouTube, but it's good enough for us to be able to appreciate the talent of the actors and the skill in the script, a change-of-identities story that keeps a viewer on edge: Will he get caught?

Helping the hero is a man who became probably the most-loved of all the sidekicks, George Hayes, an exceptional actor, who nearly always stole whatever movie he was in, and who could play villains as well as the comical partner.

He demonstrates HUGE talent in this early movie.

The leading lady was not only extremely talented, she was one of the most attractive western film actresses I've seen, Kathleen Collins. She was a real westerner, born -- and later, at age 91, dying -- in San Antonio.

For some reason, she made no more movies after "Border Devils," at least according to her bio here at IMDb. Maybe 28 movies was all she wanted, or maybe marriage interfered, but I find it a shame she made only those 28.

This is a good story, extremely well acted, and nicely directed and photographed, easily worth eight out of 10. And maybe a better print would have earned it at least a nine.

I highly recommend "Border Devils" and hope you get to watch it.