Wild Country

My co-reviewer is grumpy indeed! Admittedly, Wild Country is no classic but, if this is the worst western "seen to date", I must assume he hasn't watched too many.

What we have here is standard B western fare with roving marshal Eddie Dean rounding up the bad guys with the help of horse Flash - Dean had different "named" horses in other movies - and sidekick Soapy (Roscoe Ates). The flamboyant villain with the polka dot scarf round his hat is played with sinister gusto by the ever reliable and much under-rated I. Stanford Jolley.

Of course there are the "obligatory songs": why wouldn't there be when Eddie Dean was known as a singing cowboy and he did have an excellent voice. They are no more "out of place" than in other B westerns or, for that matter, major musicals. Sadly, there are only three, all good, but I particularly liked "The Saddle with the Golden Horn".

Leading lady Peggy Wynne is a bit feeble and funny man Ates is somewhat "limited" but there are more than enough chases, fist fights and shoot-outs to keep things bubbling nicely for the short running time.