Author Archive: Retro

Who wouldn’t love a flick in which Lassie, compelled by burning hatred, tracks down the man who killed his beloved owner? It’s not quite as bleak as all that, (if it had taken place in a city, it would have been the sole entry in the “Lassie-noir” genre) but it IS a startlingly dark work, for a 50’s family-movie audience.

When Sheriff Jake sees a man at the safe and then finds the payroll gone, he trails him. Just as he is about to arrest him, the man saves his life. Still suspicious, he joins up with the man and later they learn that Melgrove, the towns leading citizen, is trying to take over the area’s ranches by having his gang stop all incoming supply wagons. With the ranchers about to sell to Melgrove, the two newcomers say they will bring in provisions.

The Pony Express days are coming to an end, with riders John Blair (John Wayne) and his friend Larry Adams (Lane Chandler), both about 75 pounds too heavy for the original job description, out of a job. They pay Cal Drake (Douglas Cosgrove) of Buchanan City a big price for the Crescent City line and equipment, and arrive there to find it is a ghost mining town and has only two residents: eccentric, self-proclaimed Mayor “Rocky” O’Brien (Lew Kelly) and Dr. William Forsythe (Sam Flint). With the arrival from back east of Barbara Forsythe (Phyllis Fraser), the doctor’s daughter and Ginger Rogers lookalike, O’Brien happily changes the blackboard population sign from two to five. John determines to get even and operate the line anyway, after vacating a resident skunk from the stagecoach. On his first run into Buchanan City John learns of a coach race to be staged (fastest team to win a $25,000 government [...]

One of John Wayne’s first Republic westerns, this film casts the Duke as a novice stagecoach line owner. John Blair (Wayne) and his partner Larry Adams (Lane Chandler) are given the opportunity to win a $25,000 mailcontract. But a rival coach line does everything it can, legal or otherwise, to knock Blair’s operation out of the running. Yakima Canutt, longtime Waynecrony and perhaps the best stunt coordinator in the business, is third-billed as Smoky. Featured in a microscopic role is handsome young Charles Locher, later to skyrocket to stardom as Jon Hall.

Stars John Wayne as a man in search of a gold mine and a girl who also is forced to confront an outlaw andshow him who’s boss.

Irresponsible saddle tramp goes to work for his trail boss cousin, but ends up losing his cousin’s cattle money to crooked card players. Based on the novel “Born to the West” by Zane Grey. Dir. Charles Barton

Wayne plays a college graduate who goes West to find his fortune in gold, but gets tricked out of his land by swindlers who murder his partner and pin the blame on Wayne. Written by Robert North Bradbury. Dir. Robert North Bradbury

Cowboy is nursed back to health by his sweetheart after being wounded in a shootout, not realizing that her brother is the leader of the gang that murdered his father. Dir. Robert North Bradbury

John Wayne Sings! Singin’ Sandy Saunders tries to thwart another wealthy land owner from monopolizing local water rights. Written by Robert North Bradbury. Dir. Robert North Bradbury