Arizona Bad Man

Reb Russell was an All-American running back and this led to him being signed to a contract with a tiny third-rate studio to make westerns. He made about a dozen of them between 1932-1935 and then moved out west to become a farmer. After seeing him in "Arizona Bad Man" it seems pretty obvious why his career was so short--he had the charisma of a block of moldy cheese and the film appeared to have a budget of about $75! No wonder he's not exactly a household name today...or even back in the 1930s!

The film begins with Black Bart coming in to town to do some crooked dealing with some cattle rustlers. In the meantime, his lovely daughter, Lucy, goes to a dance and meets up with Steve Donovan (Russell). The pair hit it off but Bart and his boorish friends begin manhandling her...and Steve finishes them off in a rather dull and unconvincing fight. Little does Steve know that her father, the man he just beat up, is a baddie (who would have thought 'Black Bart' would be a villain?!?!) and his new girlfriend his daughter?! And, little did he know that the baddies are planning a trap to destroy him...

The film features some very wooden acting, an unappealing hero, no sidekick to divert our attention and a dull script. Overall, the film lacks energy or even a reason to see it in the first place. So why did I?!