The Trusted Outlaw

A diminutive runtime. An opening scene spotlighting a woman dancing, forthright dialogue (with mostly forthright delivery), the introduction of the protagonist, and an immediate fistfight before five minutes have passed. A very simple and straightforward plot. Yes, make no mistake, this is a western of the 30s, a western from the time when westerns were the Genre Du Jour just as superheroes are the Genre Du Jour today, with nearly equal simplicity and common traits. Mind you, I'm not badmouthing westerns at large any more than I am superhero flicks, and no, they're not all the same. In every genre, however, features exist on a spectrum from superb to awful, and another from unique to unremarkable. Mark 'The trusted outlaw' quite definitively as the sort that's rather middling and unremarkable.

There are fairly few traces of dynamics or nuance in the acting, and only irregularly (if not also infrequently) does an actor modulate their tone, inflection, expression, or posture in any especial fashion. In general the performances are flat and almost droning, and Robert N. Bradbury's direction is decidedly plainspoken - functional, but lacking vitality, style, or a personal touch. Even the sets and costume design, customarily a couple reliable facets of any western (or genre fare at large), come off as kind of modest. This isn't to say that there's no excitement at all, or that there's nothing to appreciate. The filming locations are beautiful, of course. We get fights, stunts, and practical effects, and they're swell, including the horse riding broadly and the climax, too. Sometimes Bradbury arranges a particularly splendid shot, or Bert Longenecker has a moment to shine as cinematographer. Johnston McCulley's story is light but has plentiful potential as a lone man rides out with a gang on his trail; between McCulley's foundation and George H. Plympton and Fred Myton's screenplay, there are some welcome little details in the narrative, and in some scenes.

I do actually like this picture. It's suitably enjoyable, and good enough to provide that enjoyment, through to the cheesy but delightful ending. It's just that for all that it does well, and all the worthwhile ideas it has, it doesn't specifically stand out in any way, and it doesn't try too hard to stand out, either. For something uninvolved on a quiet day, this is decent enough to check out if you have the chance. Just keep your expectations in check, and don't go out of your way for it, and maybe that's the best way to get the most out of 'The trusted outlaw.'