Richard Arlen and Mary Brian made a very cute couple in a number of Paramount programmers with Stetson, kerchief, cowboy boots and six guns suiting Arlen very well. This was a pretty lively western from the prolific pen of Zane Grey (it had already been filmed in 1918 and 1925 where it was prestigiously filmed by William K. Howard). Arlen plays rabble rouser Dick Bailey who, after having some fun with Pie-Pan (Harry Green, Paramount's resident dialect comedian, every studio had one) drunkenly promises bar patrons that he will marry the first girl he sees. And of course that happens to be gorgeous Mary Brian. She plays Ruth Hammond, sister of Dick's best friend Jimmy who has died in mysterious circumstances. She is in town to take over her brother's ranch.
Enter Fred Kohler as Stack - nothing has to happen to alert viewers to the fact that he is the villain, from his rough scowley face to the way he strides into the bar, scared patrons hurrying out of his way, he is every inch a bad guy!!! He does a bit of "shooting up the bar" and Dick, who was the target finds something of interest in comparing the bullet from Stack's gun to the one that was found in young Hammond!!
Some interesting camera work - doors creaking open, ghostly shadows, howling coyotes - you see Ruth has sent all the helpful cowboys on their way when she realises Dick is among them, she just can't forget the drunken behaviour at the station. That leaves her at the mercy of the lonely night and Stack who comes calling with some news. Seems because he paid the back taxes on the ranch, the ranch is his and Ruth can get out!! - unless she shows how nice she can be!!
Inspired by Pie-Pan's tales of Robin Hood Dick decides to do a bit of "robbing the rich to give to the poor" and finds Stack has used Hammond's own money to usurp the farm. The course of true love never runs smooth and suddenly Bob appears (Regis Toomey must have wondered about his performance in 1929's prestigious "Alibi", 1930 wasn't proving a star making year for him). Bob was Ruth's sweetheart back East who drops in, hoping she has changed her mind about their future together!! In true Western romantic tradition Dick jumps to conclusions and Ruth doesn't exactly go out of her way to make things smooth!!
While one of the fight scenes seems to take place in a shed (all you can hear are biffs and scuffles), the climatic shoot out is very well staged with dozens of gunmen and a wild horse stampede thrown in!!
Very Recommended.
Enter Fred Kohler as Stack - nothing has to happen to alert viewers to the fact that he is the villain, from his rough scowley face to the way he strides into the bar, scared patrons hurrying out of his way, he is every inch a bad guy!!! He does a bit of "shooting up the bar" and Dick, who was the target finds something of interest in comparing the bullet from Stack's gun to the one that was found in young Hammond!!
Some interesting camera work - doors creaking open, ghostly shadows, howling coyotes - you see Ruth has sent all the helpful cowboys on their way when she realises Dick is among them, she just can't forget the drunken behaviour at the station. That leaves her at the mercy of the lonely night and Stack who comes calling with some news. Seems because he paid the back taxes on the ranch, the ranch is his and Ruth can get out!! - unless she shows how nice she can be!!
Inspired by Pie-Pan's tales of Robin Hood Dick decides to do a bit of "robbing the rich to give to the poor" and finds Stack has used Hammond's own money to usurp the farm. The course of true love never runs smooth and suddenly Bob appears (Regis Toomey must have wondered about his performance in 1929's prestigious "Alibi", 1930 wasn't proving a star making year for him). Bob was Ruth's sweetheart back East who drops in, hoping she has changed her mind about their future together!! In true Western romantic tradition Dick jumps to conclusions and Ruth doesn't exactly go out of her way to make things smooth!!
While one of the fight scenes seems to take place in a shed (all you can hear are biffs and scuffles), the climatic shoot out is very well staged with dozens of gunmen and a wild horse stampede thrown in!!
Very Recommended.