Romance on the Range

Fast-moving Rogers and Hayes horse opera. There's plenty of hard riding, some fast shooting, but few flying fists. Roy and Gabby work on a fur farm where illegal trappers grab the pelts and hide them for later sale. The law's not much help, so the guys organize their own posse. Then in a mix-up, Roy gets fired but the posse leaves with him. Now there's three groups competing - Roy's, the sheriff's, and the baddies. And if that weren't enough, the head-stong girl owner of the fur ranch shows up undercover. Sound complex - yes it is - but entertaining, nevertheless.

Note how director Kane keeps things moving, along with sudden camera pans, unusual for oaters. Also, couldn't help noticing brawny Glenn Strange from TV's Gunsmoke as a really convincing baddie. Also, it's a Gabby showcase as he gets lots of feisty screentime. And catch his fade-out remark at flick's end that sort of sums up his opinion of romance and sunsets. And dig that weird drive-thru cabin the outlaws use, perfect for those of us in LA. Anyhow, it's another triumph for us matinee geezers, and for younger folks who take the time.

(In passing - Catch those other-worldly, rock slabs used as occasional background here. They're known as the Vasquez Rock Monoliths, located just north of LA. What made them so appealing to sci-fi and oater low-budgeters of the time is that they were classified as part of greater LA. So producers didn't have to pay extra for out-of-LA location shooting. For cheapos of the time, that was a real savings, and a big benefit for audience eyes, as well, as this outdoor flick happily shows.)