"Tall In the Saddle" is one of John Wayne's better westerns of the first half of the forties. It contains plenty of action including fistfights, shoot outs and an eternal triangle.
A stranger named Rocklin (Wayne) arrives in town on a stagecoach driven by a whiskey swilling driver named Dave (George "Gabby" Hayes)seeking a local rancher Red Cardell who had offered hum a job. It turns out that Cardell has been murdered and his niece Clara Cardell (Audrey Long), along with her crusty old guardian Miss Martin (Elizabeth Risdon) have come to claim her uncle's ranch. Judge Garvey (Ward Bond) is looking after the Cardell's affairs and has plans of his own for the property.
Meanwhile Rocklin faces down young Clint Harolday (Russell Wade) in a card game and sends the young man home embarrassed. The next day Rocklin encounters Clint's firebrand sister Arly who takes after him with her gun. However,there is an immediate attraction between the two although Rocklin is also attracted to the lovely Clara at the same time.
Judge Garvey and Miss Martin scheme to wrest control of the Cardell ranch from Clara. Rocklin takes a job with the Harolday ranch at the request of Harolday (Donald Douglas)to keep an eye on things and find out who murdered Cardell. Of course he clashes with Arly and she winds up firing him.
Later Rocklin is framed for the murder of young Clint and flees the town seeking to clear himself. Arly along with her sinister bodyguard Taro (Frank Puglia), who has witnessed the murder, also seek the truth. Finally Rocklin has a showdown with Garvey and his boys (Paul Fix, Harry Woods) learns the identity of the real killer and.........
Wayne is Wayne the true and honest rough and tough hero once again, a role that he had come to perfect. Raines is beautiful and feisty as the scrappy Arly. Audrey Long is more of the stereo typed western heroine as Clara. Gabby Hayes, in his final appearance with Wayne is well, Gabby Hayes the cantankerous old timer that we all came to love. Ward Bond makes a swarthy villain. Oddly enough, although he and Wayne were life long personal friends, they did not appear together that often prior to this film. Frank Puglia as the sinister Taro was unbilled in this film but stands out nonetheless.
In addition to Harry Woods and Paul Fix (who also co-wrote the script), there are several western veterans in the supporting cast. Look for Raymond Hatton as Hayes' drinking pal, Emory Parnell as the sheriff, and Cy Kendall, Russell Simpson, Eddie Waller, Hank Bell and Clem Bevans in a variety of roles. And from the blink and you'll miss him department, a very young Ben Johnson as a townsman.
Good entertainment.
