Trivia note: Darryl Hickman turning into James Craig as an adult??? I don't think so.
JAMES CRAIG and WILLIAM LUNDIGAN co-star as two orphans who are reunited years later when Lundigan is a Mountie and Craig is a big gambler who started his gambling career in JOHN CARRADINE's gambling joint as a kid. PATRICIA DANE is a self-confident singer from Frisco who catches the eye of Craig when she makes the mistake of applying for a job from Carradine. KEENAN WYNN has a supporting role as Carradine's sidekick.
Strictly a third-rate B-picture from MGM, reminiscent of many another programmer about a woman who comes between two friends. Production values are on the low-budget or modest side. PATRICIA DANE is stiff and unconvincing as the girl both brothers love.
Lundigan looks good in his Mountie uniform but both he and Craig are on the bland side as far as screen charisma is concerned. Craig's role as "Blackie Morton" seems like a poor imitation of Gable's "Blackie Norton" role in SAN FRANCISCO.
The plot hinges on Carradine losing his gambling place and then gambling Craig to win it back. A showdown of a fight between Craig and GRANT WITHERS over a gambling debt, at a mine, has Withers falling to his death down a mine shaft. When Lundigan announces he's going to marry Dane, the rest of the plot has to do with how Craig's murderous ways will be discovered, including the truth about the mine shaft murder, and how the love interest will be resolved.
Of course, good wins over evil. When the chips are down, it's up to Lundigan to play the hero and solve the problem his way in the tradition of the Mounties "always getting their man".
Sorry to say that handsome JAMES CRAIG is totally unconvincing as the black-hearted gambler in this poorly directed and scripted programmer and Lundigan's role is so underwritten he can do little with it.
It merely passes the time quickly with a short running time.
