The Red Blood of Courage

Oddball cowboy programmer set in modern times, but with plenty hard-riding, fast-shooting, and forrest scenery. Plot's pretty complicated and at times hard to follow, but maybe that's just geezer me. Seems old guy Henry has rich, undeveloped land that a gang wants, but to get it they have to first get rid of him then marry his daughter to one of them (and what a bunch of ugly guys they are!). Meanwhile, stranger Maynard shows up and wants to join gang. But does he fit in. So what's gonna happen. Anyway, events may be crowded for the short run-time, but they're seldom predictable with only a few cowboy flick cliches. So you might give the 55-minutes a try.

(In passing - that's A-list actress Ann Sheridan as daughter Elizabeth, then on her way up the Hollywood ladder as the Oomph Girl though you'd never guess it from her virginal presence here. Then too, there's cowboy Maynard who taught me a whole new way of 'dotting an I'.)

Like so many old B-westerns, this film was chopped up a bit for TV viewing. In other words, to allow time for commercials, it was trimmed by some idiots. So, while I disliked the film, perhaps it would have been a bit better if 9 minutes weren't missing!

This film stars the genial minor star, Kermit Maynard (Ken was his much more famous and ill-tempered brother). While I like him in films, he doesn't have much of a screen presence compared to the more famous B-cowboys of the age. In support is a VERY young Ann Sheridan--long before she underwent a complete makeover from the studio. She is far from glamorous here and isn't as sassy or likable as she'd later become when she worked her way up to Warner Brothers. Together, the two have some amazingly bland adventures that make very little sense. It's about a fake uncle and some jerks who want to cheat Ann out of her inheritance HOWEVER it never makes any sense and bored the life out of me due to pedestrian writing, semi-competent direction and some listless acting. Watch if you dare...just don't say I didn't warn you.

This film features Kermit Maynard at his best. Kermit had a far better personality than brother Ken . He was 'likeable ' , but did not have the the 'star' look . He was far more imaginative in his stunts and riding than Ken . Each of Kermits films demonstrate that fact as can be seen in this film . This entire series has to rank as one of the better B-western series in the 30's . This is quite a feat considering the studio .A big drawback was most of his films were Mountie films and the public was not that much into Mounties.

Ann Sheridan is in an early role in her career . She still is getting used to the camera as seen in various close-ups , but no question that a star is in the making . The 'cheapness' of the production centers in the fact that most of the story takes place in a cabin and has a lot of chases . Still this is an enjoyable little film with some of the plot variations that 'indies ' were more prone to do than the 'cookie-cutter' formulas of the major B-western studios.They always had good germs of plots that could have been more well developed with a bigger budget.

Programmer western of the type churned out to fill the bottom of a double bill is ordinary in every way with some awful acting by Kermit Maynard and several of the supporting actors. This was an extremely early movie in Ann Sheridan's career and one of the first times she received credit on screen as Ann rather than Clara Lou Sheridan. On loan from Paramount during her brief time there before moving on to the a much more productive tenure at Warner's she's fresh and relaxed but the star making machinery hadn't started turning yet and she looks very rustic.

The plot such as it is has been done in westerns a million times so the only real interest in catching this short feature is if you're a Sheridan completist.

Ann Sheridan in one of her early roles is visiting her uncle and gets caught up in attempt by the bad guys to take her uncle's land. She and Kermit Maynard attempt to save the day. The film is only 55 minutes long and worth watching as a good example of the old B Westerns.