Wild Brian Kent

Ralph Bellamy was a fine actor but most of his films consisted of him playing in supporting roles--and mostly playing the guy who loses the girl by the end of the film. In the case of "Wild Brian Kent", however, Bellamy gets a chance to play lead. And, while he does the best he can under the circumstances, it's a film that just isn't very good. With more leading roles like this, it's no wonder he was mostly a supporting actor.

The film begins with Bellamy behaving boorishly aboard a train. Apparently, although he's an expert polo player, he's also a first-class heel and has not only squandered his inheritance but squandered all his friendships as well. In fact, they are so tired of the guy that they put him off at a station in the middle of no where. There, Bellamy's character continues to behave like a selfish jerk until, inexplicably, he meets up with a family in need and he gives up his selfish ways. But is it too late? The film never seemed real to me and was a lot like a B-western--with an evil boss-man trying to steal the nice family's homestead. While it's not a terrible film, Bellamy's change of heart seemed difficult to explain and he wasn't particularly likable. In addition, the plot just seemed rather contrived and silly. Not horrible but probably not worth your time either.