Lawless Valley

Larry Rhodes (George O'Brien) gets parole and released from prison. He rides the rails and is befriended by cowboy Bob North. He returns to his lawless Arizona home town which is run by ruthless Tom Marsh and his son Jeff. They own the law, Sheriff Heck Hampton and Deputy Speedy McGow. Larry is looking for those who framed him and his father who died from an assumed suicide. His girl Norma Rogers is pushed to marry Jeff Marsh.

It's all very B-level western. It's very straight forward. There is a lot of exposition and straight acting. The writing is very direct and the staging is very basic. This is almost like a factory made product. There is a bit of fist fight, gun play, and horse riding. It does have one ok stunt, but it gets silly later on. It's just very B-level.

George O'Brien plays Larry Rhodes, paroled from prison a little over a year into a five-year sentence for a stagecoach robbery, and he heads home to clear his name, as well as that of his father. Larry's father supposedly committed suicide rather than be arrested, but Larry knows he was murdered.

Also waiting for Larry back home is Norma Rogers (Kay Sutton), who is being forced by Tom Marsh (Fred Kohler Sr.) to marry his son Jeff (Fred Kohler Jr.).

Larry is aided by Bob North (Walter Miller), whom he met when hitching a ride home from prison on a railcar, as well as by Tim Wade (George MacQuarrie) and Norma's loyal friend Fresno (Lew Kelly).

Lawless Valley is an ok western with a simple plot, some humorous dialogue, and energetic fisticuffs and action and a good performance by Fred Kohner who plays the main villain who had George O'Brien framed and forces his gal to marry his son.

Wrongly jailed, larry (obrien) is out on parole, and must clear his name. And of course, his old girlfriend (Sutton) is engaged to a bigshot. Seems to be a remake of the 1932 version, also written by oliver drake. Although the 1938 rko one claims to be based on a story by wc tuttle. Liberal use of backdrops. Imdb says filmed in corriganville (outer los angeles) but when they are on the train, we see joshua trees in the background, which only grow in the higher mojave desert. Early credited appearance of chill wills, who would appear in just about every western made, from here on. One of the eleven films kay sutton made in 1938! Of course, some of those were small, uncredited roles. About twelve minutes in, we meet Fresno the cook (lew kelly); imdb shows 229 roles, almost all of them uncredited or short films. And he doesn't even have a profile photo, as of today. The story is okay. Kind of plods along. The acting is pretty stilted, and all the clothes are spotless and creased, like the actors. The usual brawls and fistfights. Directed by david howard. Died young at 45. His first eight films have spanish titles, but according to imdb, he was born in philly. Interesting. It's all just very okay.

Lawless Valley is just where George O'Brien is headed for after being released on parole. O'Brien was set up for a robbery that he didn't commit in conjunction with his father. The father committed suicide rather than be taken or so the official story has it.

O'Brien hasn't bought it at all and he's out to clear his and his father's name. The key to this whole business is the fact the father owned and carried a rare .41 caliber pistol. When O'Brien finds the weapon he gets the evidence to clear him.

Lawless Valley is also a chance to see father and son film villains Fred Kohlers senior and junior playing a father and son pair of villains.

Speaking of weapons, being on parole O'Brien also can't carry a six shooter of his own while on parole. Never mind, he manages well without until the final showdown.

Lawless Valley is a good B western with lots of action enough to please any aged Saturday matinée kid.