The Desert Horseman

Charles Starrett has been accused of stealing an army payroll, and the man he hoped to help clear him has died, so he has to also help pretty Adele Roberts hold onto the ranch in this middling Durango Kid B Western.

By the standards of most B-Westerns, the Durango Kid movies of this period were fully written affairs with some interesting plot twists. This one seems a bit lighter than most, with the musical interludes by Walt Shrum and his band and Smiley Burnette filling in a lot of time.

For me, the highlight is the camera-work of William O'Connell. In the 1920s, he was the director of photography on top projects for Mary Pickford and F.W. Murnau, but during the sound era he retreated to B features and shorts. Even so, the compositions in this one are very pleasing; he moves the camera smoothly and his outdoor shots shimmer beguilingly.