New Frontier

(1939) Frontier Horizon / New Frontier WESTERN

Starring John Wayne, Ray "Crash" Corrigan, and Raymond Hatton as "The Three Mesquiteers"- the low budget Western equivalent of "The Three Musketeers". And while I was watching this film, I couldn't believe how original and entertaining this film was in comparison to 2007 "3:10 To Yuma" and Coen's version of "True Grit". It takes place right after the Civil War focusing on a small town called "New Hope" which the residents have so much pride on had just learned that a water damn is needed to go through so that bigger towns or cities can have water, and that a cash settlement is going to be offered to them if they move away from their properties. Of course, the residents refuse to leave and are willing to fight for it, until a better proposal, has been offered on the table. Viewers are not clear who are the bad guys are until shady deals are proposed. Had the budget been higher, my rating would have been higher as well.

New Frontier (1939)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

The final Three Mesquiteer film for John Wayne has the boys trying to help some settlers who are about to lose their land to some bad men. At the moment I can't recall how many of the Wayne films I've seen from this series but this is just like most of them. The film contains some pretty good action scenes and Wayne is good as usual but the stories aren't really that strong. Jennifer Jones has a small supporting role and does a pretty nice job.

As of now the only way to view these films is by AMC, which also includes commercials.

"Impoverished by civil war, and faced with the painful labor of reconstruction, thousands of Americans cut the old tries and took the immigrant trail to the free lands of the far west – and a new beginning," according to the opening...

A pioneering family led by soldier Eddy Waller (as Steven Braddock) finds a beautiful area to settle and they name the place "New Hope Valley" because if symbolizes new hope. Fifty years later, the family and other residents celebrate the town's golden anniversary. On hand are Republic Pictures' "The Three Mesquiteers" – leader John Wayne (as Stony Brooke), partner Ray Corrigan (as Tucson Smith) and comic sidekick Raymond Hatton (as Rusty Joslin). They seem to be, herein, based in "New Hope" and riding the (?) Pony Express. Trouble arrives when nasty government men and land contractors declare "New Hope Valley" is condemned, so they can level the town and build a damn. Outraged citizens convince Mr. Wayne to lead the opposition...

This routine round-up was the last series appearance for two of the Mesquiteers. Wayne was obviously off to greener pastures due to his choice role in director John Ford's "Stagecoach" (1939). He would be replaced by returning "Stony" Robert Livingston. Also calling it quits, Mr. Corrigan went on to star in his own series, with Bob Steele taking over the "Tucson" role. Republic remembered they already had a "New Frontier" (1935) starring John Wayne, so they re-titled this "Frontier Horizon". Making her film debut herein is pretty young Phylis Isley, who became very popular after changing her name to "Jennifer Jones" and hooking up with producer David O. Selznick. In Hollywood, being noticed by John Ford or David Selznick certainly helped.

*** New Frontier Horizon (8/10/39) George Sherman ~ John Wayne, Ray Corrigan, Raymond Hatton, Jennifer Jones

John Wayne said farewell to the Three Mesquiteers film series and to the character of Stoney Burke he had played in them. The Mesquiteers would continue on without the Duke as they had before him. Herbert J. Yates and Republic finally decided that Wayne had become too big a star to continue him in B westerns. His next film after this was a loan out to RKO, Allegheny Uprising.

In fact there was another change in the cast, Max Terhune left the series even before this and was replaced by Raymond Hatton.

New Frontier, not to be confused with the Kennedy administration, also has Phyllis Isley as the leading lady. Her next film would win her an Academy Award and a name change to Jennifer Jones. Of course that is the Song of Bernadette. She never did do a film with Wayne after this, but I'm guessing it was because the Duke didn't want to work for David O. Selznick.

This entry in the Mesquiteers films deals with the right of eminent domain. The Mesquiteers ranch and the property of all the others in New Hope Valley has been condemned because the state wants to build a dam for a large city and create a reservoir where their property is. This subject was dealt with in a quite serious way in Elia Kazan's film Wild River about the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Of course here it's all part of land swindle, but Stoney, Tucson, and Rusty put things to right in the end and do it with the same pioneer spirit their ancestors showed.

You would expect anything else from a John Wayne film?

New Hope Valley is celebrating its 50th anniversary, but the celebration is short lived by the arrival of assemblyman Proctor and developer Gilbert, who announce that New Hope Valley is being condemned so that the land can be used for the site of a new dam which will give water to nearby developing communities. This riles the residents who attack the developers while they are on construction. Gilbert, who is stopping at no lengths to see the project completed, is convinced that the residents will listen to Stony, Tucson, and Rusty, so he tells them of their plan of moving to a new piece of land where they will have irrigation and the chance to start anew on their farms. However the Three Mesquiteers learn that this was just a dupe by Gilbert & Proctor since they have no plans to carry water to that new valley, and the three go to confront Gilbert and his men before they flood New Hope Valley. Another well done entry in the 3 Mesquiteers series despite the fact that the villainous element isn't seen until 30 minutes into the picture and there is very little in the ways of action until the very end. Like their next film Wyoming Outlaw, this is another entry in the series dealing with issues of the times primarily the leaving of the town versus the use of progress to help nearby communities. Well done with an excellent finale at the dam. Rating, based on B westerns, 7.