Gangsters of the Frontier

In the 1930s, 40s and 50s, Hollywood made approximately 2929342342097 B-westerns. A B-film was a relatively short film (about one hour) with a small budget and was intended as a second film in a double-feature. Kids loved these westerns and they were very formulaic--with a near-perfect hero, there was usually some singing, the baddies almost never getting killed but always being defeated and, often, a goofy sidekick there to add some color.

"Gangsters of the Frontier" is one of these films and in most ways it's pretty ordinary for the genre. It stars Tex Ritter (John Ritter's father) and he belts out song after song in the film--though his charisma left a bit to be desired. He has put the wicked Kern gang behind bars, but somehow they have escaped and are worse than ever--enslaving an entire town! It's obvious that the Kerns are meant as a metaphor for fascism and Ritter and his friends talk a lot about freedom and God-given rights in this one. They also have WOMEN join their posse--a reference to the women now working to support the war effort. All these details do make the film interesting to history teachers like me, but the average person will possibly miss all these references--as well as be relatively unimpressed by the film. It's not super-exciting and there's too much singing--even for one of these style films. It's just adequate--one of many, many, many adequate B-series westerns.

This movie has a lot going for it - Tex Ritter, his singing and his wry sense of humor; Dave O'Brien and his presence; Guy Wilkerson as comic relief and the worst telegraph operator in history; Patti McCarty as a together woman; Betty Mills as a tough frontier woman. On top of this, the story is not a warmover of other "B" movie plots. It created real tension and delivered a WWII message about despotism and freedom. All of that goes to making this movie enjoyable, but the best is still the way the gang leaders came to justice! I have never seen that in any other movie. You shouldn't miss that.

Tex Ritter and Dave 'Tex' O'Brien are throwing lead at the Kern gang right from the get go. "So long as these two guns are hanging here Peace will reign in the valley" says the plaque in Tex Ritter's office. However, the Kern gang lead by I. Stanford Jolley are Marshall Reed are having none of it. Many great references to the War effort and patriotism. The long, slim great sidekick Guy Wilkerson as Panhandle Perkins makes for some good scenes and contrast to the stocky favorite western henchman Charles King. Patti McCarty and Betty Miles symbolize the fighting spirit of the women's involvement in WWII. Look for some wonderful tunes by Ritter and a Victrola that won't quit even after the 'gangsters' shoot it out. The 'Frontier' is filled with music, action, humor and a top notch cast.

The rangers organize a town to rid it of a criminal gang.

Wow, a great roster of western baddies all in one movie—Jolley, King, & Reed. In fact, the pudgy King and the skinny Wilkerson have some pretty funny scenes together. The boys get to do a lot of hard riding and fast shooting in a familiar LA-area locale. Happily the boys don't aim too well so no one appears to get hurt in these big shootouts. But check out that imaginative climax, unlike any I've seen. And Dave (O'Brien) must have glue on that big white hat since no matter how vigorous the fisticuffs, it stays put on his head. Oh well, what front row kid like me ever cared about such niceties. Heck, even this current front row geezer gets a good chuckle now and again. Besides, I still like hearing Tex Ritter warble a western tune—here he gets three. All in all, it's a decent oater with a big cast of extras.

Gangsters Of The Frontier comes barreling out of the gate with a raucous opening sequence where the formally deposed Kern gang comes riding back into the town of Red Rock, flooding the streets with pistol shooting desperadoes in an attempt to force the townspeople into working their gold mine for free!

Tex Ritter, the man who busted up the gang years earlier and Dave O'Brien lead the resistance against the outlaws in this entertaining entry in Producers Releasing Corporation's Texas Rangers series.

Tex's great patriotic speech about tyranny and freedom makes one realize that this isn't just another Saturday matinée B-western but a two-fisted World War Two allegory with the Kern gang as the Germans making a comeback after the first World War and Tex representing the good old USA, back again to clean things up!

This is fast paced and action packed, with some great tunes by Tex Ritter and a (literal) scenery smashing climax!