User reviews

John Wayne's final Lone Star cheapie has him playing a government agent with a huge hat trying to bust up a counterfeiting ring. He does so by joining the traveling medicine show of Dr. Carter (Earle Hodges) and his pretty daughter Linda (Marion Burns). They always had a pretty daughter in these things. Anyway, the bad guy's named Curly Joe. He's played by stuntman extraordinaire Yakima Canutt. At least you know the stunts are good. Hodges is fun as the medicine show huckster. There's also quite a bit of comedy and some songs including one about suspenders that needs to be heard.

Is it just me or are those the loudest horse clops you ever heard? Also, I'm not sure what era this was supposed to take place in. Lone Star wasn't known for caring about historical accuracy in these cheap B westerns. There were usually shots of telephone poles and the like in the background. Here there are 1930s-era cars and clothes but everything else says Old West. This western, like the other B's made in the '30s, will seem pretty much like kids stuff today. But there is some fun to be had with it. Fans of the Duke might want to check it out. Avoid the version with the bizarre modern electronic score added.

John Wayne and a couple of reasonable action scenes are about all that keep this B-Western afloat. The plot is mildly interesting, with Wayne working undercover trying to break up a counterfeiting ring. But it strains credibility a little too often, and the goofy medicine show settings, while occasionally amusing, cause at least one too many groans. The action scenes are OK, thanks to Wayne and Yakima Canutt, who plays the bad guy. Wayne was still progressing as an actor himself, and would later have much more of a screen presence, but he was obviously above most of the material in this movie. The film itself is really only interesting because he was in it, and it gives you reason to be thankful that eventually he was given a chance to move on to better things.

Like a slew of John Wayne B-movies recently aired on the Encore Channel, this one features a god-awful new musical track that practically ruins the film. The music is too loud, the wrong type of music, is played on modern electronic machines and is the exact same musical accompaniment you'll find on at least a dozen other Wayne films! Yes, the exact same sound track is used again and again! Also like a slew of other Wayne films (as well as Gene Autry films now that I think of it), the film is set out West and while MOST of it looks like it was set about 1880-1890, there are tons of anachronisms! The leading lady wears modern dress and they drive about the west in a truck!! Oddly, in this and other films, when it comes to chasing the bad guys, they don't chase them in a car or truck but on horseback! It's all very bizarre but not terribly uncommon in cheap B-westerns where they often just didn't care about these details.

Wayne is looking for a traveling medicine show, as he's a good guy investigating some counterfeiting ring. Instead of confronting the crooks at the show, he joins them and does trick shooting to attract customers. At the same time, he naturally falls for the boss' pretty daughter. Eventually, it turns out that a baddie named 'Curly Joe' is behind the phony money scam. No, this is NOT the same Curly Joe who was the really lame third Stooge in the late 1950s and 1960s.

This film is not among one of the best films of the era for John Wayne. While none of the films had very high expectations, they were moderately entertaining and fun. This one, however, was a bit duller than usual--mostly due to no interesting sidekick and an amazingly dull villain. The stunts are decent but there just isn't much to this one to make it anything other than a mediocre B-movie.

While I admit that having the same music for all of John Wayne's Wild West movies from 1933-1935 is somewhat tiresome, the movies themselves are really great. On critic complains that the heroine in Paradise Canyon wears modern dress, and the medicine show drives a model T type truck with a homemade trailer attached, I think this indicates that the movie is set in the twenties and not the 1890's. Also the villain is Yakima Canutt who is never boring, at least to me. Modern movies could take a lot of pointers from these old ones. I love the humor, romance, fantastic horseback riding and stunts, and the gorgeous scenery, even if it is black and white. I highly recommend all of these early movies featuring John Wayne. And don't miss "The Big Trail" from 1929 either!!!!! WOWEE!!!

This is really just a rehash of half a dozen other plots written by Robert Tansey, and not even the charisma of the Duke can rescue it from mediocrity. Here he is "Wyatt" leading an US government investigation into a counterfeiting ring on the border with Mexico. He teams up with "Doc. Carter" (Earle Hidgins) and his daughter "the Princess" who run a medicine show - not sure if they may or may not be involved. There are plenty of frame-ups, doubles crosses and even some Federales as Wayne soon gets on the trail of Yakima Canutt ("Curly Joe") so now we know to expect some fun rough and tumble. It's fine, this - just nothing at all to mark it out as in any way special.

This film begins with a federal agent by the name of "John Wyatt" (John Wayne) being given an assignment to ride to Arizona to investigate a counterfeit ring that is operating near the Mexican border. From what he is told, the two main suspects are a convict recently released from prison by the name of "Doc Carter" (Earle Hodgins) and another man named "Curly Joe Gale" (Yakima Canutt). When he finally gets to the area in question, he finds Doc Carter driving from town to town in a truck peddling a tonic which supposedly cures everything. Also with him are two employees named "Ike" (Perry Murdock) and "Mike" (Gordon Clifford) along with his adult daughter "Linda Carter" (Marion Burns). That said, wanting to ingratiate himself with them to further his investigation, he helps them out of some difficult and is quickly allowed to join their traveling medicine show. It's also during this time that Curly Joe discovers that Doc Carter is now back in town and--fearful that he will expose him to the law--makes every effort to silence him, once and for all. The problem is that John Wyatt has gotten wise to the idea that Doc Carter was set up by Curly Joe and realizes the situation all too well. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay Western for its time with John Wayne putting in his usual solid performance. Admittedly, it is a bit short (only 52 minutes) but that was quite typical for the period in question. In any case, those looking for an old-style Western of this type probably won't be too disappointed and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

I agree with all the positive reviews but I do have the original movie and some idiot(s) have removed all the original soundtracks and have substituted some truly ghastly, awful music - all the same for the those '33-'35 Westerns.

My advice? Watch and listen to the real originals on your IMDb/computer and not the rubbish that is being played on Encore/Autry Western station. For fans of the original movie(s) the changes made to the music are absolutely offensive.

The old John Wayne westerns-before STAGECOACH are terribly important because they always pursue the ethical and attempt to do the right thing. Law and order is understood to be clear cut. Whilst we have been in this day and age, encouraged to see all sides of an issue, when evil is clearly defined-which it was in the John Wayne westerns, there was the feeling, that right MUST triumph and if John Wayne was starring, you knew it would be-because it was his mission to ensure that right was the result. Trivial in a career? No! Wayne didn't compromise his values.

Thank heavens he always sought to portray a good guy in his later films as well. He set a great example for us all. Just a footnote: When I attended law school as an older adult, I was the only student to pass a legal ethics class taught by a judge! It was thanks to those principles taught by Wayne, Wild Bill Elliott, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, et. al., that I think gave me that remarkable A!

An undercover agent for the government is sent to round up a gang of counterfeiters operating near the Mexican border in this western quickie that has usual amount of action and conflict, however it's just routine: Wayne, of course, is great to watch but I think Earle Hodges as a salesman steal every scene he is. He's hammy, over the top and funny.

For fans of Lone Star-Wayne only. It's a pretty slender installment from our friends at Paul Malvern's production company. Wayne's an undercover G-man on the trail of counterfeiter Yakima Canutt. On the way he hooks up with medicine man Doc Carter (Hodgins) and his sloe- eyed daughter (Burns). We see a lot of the medicine show and some of it is a hoot—The Texas Two whose down-home ditties are memorably corny. But reviewer Chance is right: Hodgins takes up too much screen time for a brief 50-minute feature. Too bad producer Malvern didn't pop for a location shoot at scenic Lone Pine. That would have compensated for a lot. Instead, the boys have to ride around the scrubby un-scenic outskirts of LA. He did however pop for a well-staffed chase scene at the end. Then too, there is the usual hidden hideout that fascinated Front-Row kids like myself, along with a dramatic plunge off a cliff. But the sum-total is rather plodding and not up to the usual high-action standard. (In passing— sorry to say I counted 3 "trip-wire" induced falls, which make for a dramatic tumble of horse and rider, but is unfortunately often fatal to the horse. Happily, these stunts were eventually banned. On a more upbeat note-- for a really entertaining look at how these Saturday afternoon specials were made, catch Hearts of the West {1975}.)

John Wayne grew as a screen performer during his days starring at the cheapo production company Lone Star. It's a shame the last film he made there turned out one of the worst.

Government agent John Wyatt (Wayne) is sent on a mission to find a pair of suspected counterfeiters. One, Doc Carter (Earle Hodgins) runs a travelling medicine show selling gussied-up hard liquor as a "Famous Indian Remedy." The other, Curly Joe Gale (Yakima Canutt), is hiding out in Mexico, where he runs his illegal trade. The government suspects the two may still be in cahoots.

"Well, that's a new one for me," Wyatt tells his boss. "Looks like I'm going to have to join a medicine show."

It's the one new wrinkle on what by now had become the Wayne formula at Lone Star. Once again he has a secret identity, once again he will meet a charming girl to bond with (Marion Burns as Doc's daughter Linda) and once again he will butt heads with Canutt when the crook crosses paths with his less crooked partner Doc and decides to get him out of the way for good.

Director Carl L. Pierson may not be Wayne's regular helmer at Lone Star, Robert N. Bradbury, but he employs the same kind of flat storytelling devices and obvious padding. The film begins with Wyatt riding up to a town and discovering Doc Carter just rolled out under a cloud of community suspicion. The routine is repeated twice more before Wyatt finally links up with Doc and joins the show.

An assortment of time-killing devices follow, including a lengthy section where Doc delivers his spiel, introduces a pair of guitar- playing singers who perform a couple of songs, then turns things over to his new attraction, "Cowboy John," who shoots targets around Linda. This amounts to a successful courting ritual for Wyatt, leaving us to wonder what kind of father lets a stranger fire bullets an inch from his daughter's head.

A drunk one, I guess. Much of the humor involves how Doc Carter is his own best customer. In between pulls from the bottle, his tedious spiels suck away whatever passes for energy. As John W Chance points out in another review here, you get the feeling Pierson thought Hodgins was going to be in pictures long after the world forgot about this Wayne guy.

There's also Canutt as the bad guy, a legendary stuntman who was no actor. The film has him try to bribe Wyatt to make Doc leave town, then resort to lame threats when Wyatt refuses.

"Alright, stranger, then I'll deal from the bottom of the deck," Curly Joe replies in his flat, wheedling voice. "You and that show be out of town tonight, or I'll be there looking for you." Eventually the criminal mastermind settles on having his henchmen take Doc and Linda to a cave where he can laugh and wait for Wyatt to show up before shooting them.

There's also a number of needlessly cruel horse falls that punctuate long chase scenes. All of this is by-the-numbers Lone Star time kill, and hopefully fed some hungry dogs better than it does our need for excitement.

The most disappointing thing about this film is Wayne himself. While he managed to show some real talent in his Lone Star work, here he's very clearly going through the motions and watching the clock. With such a dull supporting cast and a lame story, you can't blame him. Maybe he was thrown playing love scenes with an actress who had the same first name he did.

Wayne's Lone Star films have some good moments, and at least one film worth recommending on its own merits, "Sagebrush Trail." Unfortunately, this one only shows why they called it "Poverty Row."

John Wyatt is a government agent tasked with investigating the activities of a counterfeiting gang operating near the US/Mexican border. In the course of his investigations, Wyatt gets caught up with Doc Carter's travelling medicine show. Although Doc is an obvious fraud the film treats him as a lovable rogue, much less of a threat to society than the counterfeiters. Doc's attractive daughter Linda provides Wyatt's love interest. (Yes, Linda Carter. I thought of "Wonder Woman" too, even though that actress spelt her first name "Lynda").

The date at which the action takes place is never made clear. Wyatt wears standard cowboy gear suggesting a traditional late nineteenth century setting, but Doc travels round in a motor vehicle, the design of which suggests a date of at least 1920, as do the clothes worn by some of the other characters, especially Linda. My theory is that the action is supposed to take place during Prohibition and that Doc's supposed "medicine" (which we learn is 90% alcohol) is really only a ruse to get around the Volstead Act.

This was one of many cheaply-made "Poverty Row" Westerns made by John Wayne in the years before he found stardom in "Stagecoach". Few of these were any good, and "Paradise Canyon" is not one of the exceptions. Apart from Wayne, the only well-known member of the cast is Yakima Canutt as the chief villain, and he was better known as a professional stunt man than as an actor. Wayne's acting is poor, giving little hint of the major star he was soon to become, and none of the other actors are any better. The plot is trite, the dialogue often ludicrous, the action scenes unconvincing and the fight scenes (a common fault on Poverty Row) badly choreographed with obviously pulled punches. Even confirmed John Wayne fans should steer clear of this movie. Or perhaps I should say, especially confirmed John Wayne fans should steer clear of this movie. Unless they want their illusions about their idol to be shattered. 3/10

Posses on horseback chasing after Model T Fords has never been my idea of a Western. Though I tolerated it from Roy Rogers (as a child of the 50s) I can't take it as an adult fan of The Duke. If there are cars in the picture 'it ain't a western'.We do have the obligatory hide out in a cave and John Wayne diving in to river-he must have been a heck of a swimmer because he sure jumped in to lakes and rivers a lot in these B films of the 30s. It actually is not a bad story line as far as these old b&w movies go-but I go back to my previous point-cars and horses don't mix in my mind as to what a western should be. I'm not asking for my money back though-just my least favorite of the 30s western genre that helped launch the Duke's career.

Yakima Canutt and his gang of counterfeiters try to run his former partner Dr. Carter and his medicine show out of town before the "doctor" recognizes him and quite possibly blows the whistle on Canutt's involvement in a recent string of bogus bills. Luckily for Carter, undercover lawman John Wayne is the show's new trick shooter.

The last film Wayne made for Lone Star/ Monogram Pictures, this is more light-hearted and less action packed than other entries. It's still good fun with a few decent action scenes and stunts.

The best thing about it is the wonderful scene featuring the medicine show in all it's glory, including the sales pitch, music, and a trick shooting demonstration.

I really liked this little film. It has to be one of the best of the early John Wayne b movies. The writing isn't to bad as Wayne is a lawman who joins a traveling medicine show to sniff out a suspected counterfeiter. He meets a really cute girl and its obvious that Wayne was enjoying himself a lot while making this movie. The actor that plays the "doctor" was a real hoot, a very fine job he did indeed. He reminded me a lot of Walter Houston. Very similar acting style. There are several nice touches with this film. In one scene a posse chases down the medicine show crew. What makes this unusual is the fact that the posse rode horses and the medicine show bunch were traveling by truck!!!! Course it was a pretty sorry excuse for a truck mind you! Another cool thing were the songs played by the medicine show performers. Pretty cool old tunes there. Course i had to laugh when Wayne was doing trick pistol shots like snuffing out candles that were inches from the girls head. I'm sure a real father would have gone for that, ha. Supposedly the "doctor" was her dad. Overall, this is a very fun old movie and i got a kick out of it. Oh yeah, there is also an exciting chase and shootout at the end between the bad guys and a Mexican posse. Pretty darn well staged i must say. Great movie, a classic old b western with da duke!!!! Much better than Randy Rides Alone or Star Packer which were also on the DVD.

Between 1931 and 1939, John Wayne starred in almost 50 B westerns.. although some weren't good enough for a B. This is one I hadn't checked off the list before.

Wayne is a government agent called upon to track down Yakima Canutt, who is counterfeiting money somewhere along the Mexican border. Wayne decides that the way to find him is to join the medicine show of Earl Hodgins, whom Canutt framed into prison for ten years while he went free. Wayne finds that the show is drunkard Hodgins, his daughter Marion Burns -- aka 'Princess Natasha' -- Perry Murdock and Gordon Clifford for a couple of songs and unsnappy patter, and a truck that functions erratically. Of course they run unerringly into Canutt, whose bald spot is featured in his fight scene with Wayne.

A new and inappropriate soundtrack was added in the 1990s -- this being a Paul Malvern production, there was probably none to begin with -- and director Carl Pierson tries to edit in the camera for a snappier pace; this seems to show up the dull and unchanging compositions of DP Archie Stout. The movie comes alive for about ten minutes, when Hodgins is haranguing the audience to buy his patent medicine (90% alcohol). Other than that it's rather dull. With Gino Corrado as an officer of Mexican rurales and the usual inhabitants of these bargain-basement westerns.

This is not by any means a work of art, as Big John sorts out the counterfeiters who sneak across the border. However, it is remarkably entertaining, especially given it cost about three bucks to make. The background of a medicine show adds a little by way of originality, and I suspect this is a relatively realistic picture of a not-long-vanished West, that most of the audience will have experienced and remembered. John Wayne is on good form, with a particularly enormous ten gallon hat catching the attention. Mary Astor-lookalike Marion Burns is the love interest, and the difficult father-in-law-to-be is a nice performance from Earle Hodgins, who manages even to ruin their wedding. Yakima Canutt's acting is seen to good effect, as a hard-bitten villain, and Reed Howes is a good heavy. The stunts are as usual incredible, and presumably not every horse survived the picture. High Noon it is not, but there are worse ways of spending 50 minutes of your time.