Il cavaliere audace

John Wayne elopes with the daughter of a wealthy immigrant family. Taking off for Fargo, he squares off against nasty Ward Bond, who had his life-savings stolen and is in the process of taking land in anticipation of the coming railroad.

One of the minor Republic vehicles the Duke cranked out in the nineteen-forties, this starts out well, though it runs out of steam mid-way, ending up being okay but unspectacular and unmemorable.

Production values and performances are good, but this seems bloated, even at 83 minutes. Republic should have tightened it up and made it one of their hour-long programmers.

The best thing about this is crusty, old riverboat captain Walter Brennan. He and his sidekick almost steal the movie.