Sacramento

Boston druggist John Wayne travels to Sacramento to open a drug store. On the way he angers big-shot Albert Dekker, who attempts to blackball Wayne, only to find him partner up with his girlfriend, leading to the inevitable love-triangle, skulduggery, and showdown.

One of the minor Wayne westerns cranked out by Republic Pictures in the nineteen-forties, this mild programmer is pleasant enough entertainment, though nothing really to write home about. It could have been a little better.

The Duke is a bit softer than usual, in a role that's a lot different than you're used to seeing, that of an educated, suit-wearing gentleman.

Tall and elegant pharmacist Tom Craig comes to Sacramento to open up his own drug store. On route he incurs the wrath of bully boy Britt Dawson, who doesn't take kindly to his Bostonian manners, however Dawson's girl Lacey Miller does, and along with newly acquired friend Kegs McKeever, Tom has the foundation to see his plans thru to fruition, but Dawson and his loose cannon younger brother are determined to get in the way.

This is one of those films that the John Wayne haters should seek out when they use the argument that he always played the same characters. Here he is far from macho, for sure he will be forced to branch out and defend what's right, but his Tom Craig here is gentile and full of grace, very much a gentleman thank you very much. Plot wise we are treated to standard fare, good guys and bad guys just don't get on, and you just know that some pretty dames are going to have a say in proceedings. Yet this piece really has much more going for it, it's sense of fun, courtesy mainly of Edgar Kennedy and Patsy Kelly's blossoming relationship, the advancement of drugs to cure the sick and it's back drop of the Sacremento gold rush, all of it comes together to totally satisfy come the final credits. 7.5/10

This western from the Republic is a good surprise. First for the character played by John Wayne, a pharmacist, who doesn't fire a single shot during the whole film and doesn't kill anybody. So he is not a typical John Wayne. Then the story, which cleverly mixes John Wayne's uneasy relationship with the titular villain, Albert Dekker (who tends to squint a bit too much), as they both covet Binnie Barnes, one unknowingly, the other very ostensibly. Then the arrival of the gold discovered in California and the madness that goes with it will change the game. The villain remains the villain of course.

Note that it is co-written by three writers, including two women. One of them having been a gagman at Universal (Frances Hyland). The comic relief is provided by Edgar Kennedy and Patsy Kelly, who are not subtle, but who contribute to the originality of this western.

The whole thing is mounted with rhythm where things happen quickly, without any dead time. With multiple settings. To serve these different plots, where everything is guessed, the film is conducted with efficiency by combining entertainment and dynamism.

Will begin by saying that I've been a major John Wayne fan all of my life and have seen many many of his movies, and have screened many of those dozens and scores of times. Recently I viewed this title for the first time. Personally, I feel the film was very well done, and in particular is a solid testament to the fact that the Duke had a much better ability to portray different characters than he has often been credited with. Granted, some Wayne movies are superior to others, but this one had tremendous entertainment value and certainly does not deserve the negative reviews I have read of it. The vast majority of John Wayne's movies rate an overall "good" at the very least, and certainly all of them are worth watching once. I highly recommend this one to even the most apathetic, luke-warm John Wayne fans, and even to his most critical detractors as it really was 88 minutes of good entertainment so make some popcorn, snuggle on the couch with your sweetheart and enjoy this unusual John Wayne film...

In Old California is a fun, surprisingly complex John Wayne vehicle from more positive and principled days. It features a good good guy (gosh, even goes to church! feature that!), a couple of bad bad guys - and even a character that transforms from shady to admirable.

It's a move that takes one's attention, keeps it, and sends one off feeling good. If that's your idea of a good movie experience, give it a go.