The Outcast

In this tight little western which has a complex part John Derek is out to get his rightful inheritance of the ranch he feels should have been his. Instead the will lawyer Taylor Holmes drew up left the property to Derek's uncle Jim Davis. Davis is expecting Catherine McLeod a new bride and the stagecoach that brings her also brings Derek.

Derek unfortunately hired a bunch of gunmen led by Bob Steele. His hands aren't clean because of that.

Republic Pictures assembled a real good cast of familiar players to support Derek and Davis. Derek wages war on all fronts making a play for McLeod at the same time he's courting Joan Evans who is a neighboring rancher's daughter. Not exactly a move for a cowboy hero.

In its last years Republic was going in for western stories with an adult theme. The Outcast is not a film you would see Gene or Roy in. But it's a good one.

The Outcast is set in 1880s Colorado about a man who rides into town with a gang of hired gunmen to reclaim his inheritance. But the man opposing him is none other than his uncle, who will not give up the ranch, and all that goes with it, without a fight.

A truly pleasant surprise to me this one was. Too many times I care to mention when I have sat down for a B movie Western and cringed at the banality on show. Directed by prolific B helmer William Witney and coming out of the mightily solid Republic Pictures house, The Outcast {AKA The Fortune Hunter} uses a standard story premise and expands it further with a multitude of interesting character arcs. There is so much going on in this part of Colorado, the film never has time to become boring or twee in its execution. Each character serves a purpose, if they have screen time then they are functional to the plot{s} in hand. We have feuding families, hired thugs, a pugilist blacksmith, reams of gun play, fist fights on horseback {fine stunt work here} and pretty gals pulling the male protagonists emotions left and right! All set against a lovely rolling location backdrop {sadly not able to find where at the time of writing} and filmed in the safer cheaper colour aspect of Trucolor, which looks nicer now in this day and age of HD TV.

The cast are led by John Derek (All the King's Men) and an assortment of stoic and professional Western players fill out the roll call. It does look to be either largely unseen or consigned wrongly to the B movie bin. But it's certainly a must for the Western genre fan, and definitely a film to prove that Republic Pictures did have good films in their locker. So do check it out if you get the chance 7/10

Tremendously good B western which today would be an A western. Strong acting, tremendous direction and the kind of realism in fights you never see. I think the smack on the head by the horse was intentional and left in as Jet's way of showing Dude who was boss without using his gun. It may have been accidental but if so was left in because it worked.

Real scenery and some really cool off the backdrop shots which really worked in color.

My only problem? Where in the 1880's West does a guy come up with a name like "Jet?" I thought it was Jeb, or Jed until I saw the credits.

Recommend to any western lover and others too. Loved Bob Steele as a bad guy. He never worked for me as a good guy. I think it's certainly one of Derek's best and seeing a Young Slim Pickens on a horse at a gallop. Now that is cool.

The Impossibly Handsome and Youthful John Derick Leads a Very-Good Cast of Familiar Western Stalwarts.

Jim Davis, Slim Pickins, Bob Steele, Harry Carrey Jr. Are Among the Feuding Families in this Ranch War.

Cutting-Edge Action, sometimes Brutally Violent, and Wide-Open Range Battles with Galloping Fisticuffs Among Thundering Cattle and Horses.

Derrick's "Way with the ladies", as one Cowpoke Noted, is also a Central Driving Force in the Inbred Narrative.

Joan Evans and Catherine MacLoud are the Females that Attach Themselves to the Battling Brothers.

With One Succumbing to a Brutal Whipping and the Other Experiencing a Major Disappointment.

Along with His Good-Looks, Derrick Brought an Edgy Attitude and Confident, Youthful Rebellion to the Character.

Swindled Out of His Inheritance by an Older Brother and a Crooked Lawyer, Derick is the Anachronistically Named "Jet".

Outstanding Among the Corral Full of Hired-Guns, is a Twisted "Dude" (Bob Steele)...

"Who once shot his best friend for a Silver-Saddle and $500."

Among the Gigantic Output of Westerns in the Decade, this One has...

More Violence Action,and Romance,

With Animated Cattle and Horses, and Intense Melodrama, than Expected.

It's a Beaut.

An early performance by Derek is the main attraction here, in this action packed tale of a young man, returning home to reclaim his ranch from a dastardly cattle baron. A good supporting cast, and a director that doesn't let the romance scenes get in the way, make this good fare.