New Frontier

(1939) Frontier Horizon / New Frontier WESTERN

Starring John Wayne, Ray "Crash" Corrigan, and Raymond Hatton as "The Three Mesquiteers"- the low budget Western equivalent of "The Three Musketeers". And while I was watching this film, I couldn't believe how original and entertaining this film was in comparison to 2007 "3:10 To Yuma" and Coen's version of "True Grit". It takes place right after the Civil War focusing on a small town called "New Hope" which the residents have so much pride on had just learned that a water damn is needed to go through so that bigger towns or cities can have water, and that a cash settlement is going to be offered to them if they move away from their properties. Of course, the residents refuse to leave and are willing to fight for it, until a better proposal, has been offered on the table. Viewers are not clear who are the bad guys are until shady deals are proposed. Had the budget been higher, my rating would have been higher as well.

"New Frontier" as it is titled here is a nice enough Mesquiteers effort, but the difficulty it seems to have with time sequencing and time setting makes it tough for anyone who cares about history or logic to watch it all the way through without scratching one's head. One never really knows whether the picture is set in 1915 (50 years after the late 1860s) or in contemporary 1939. And by the way, I think I figured it out... why Stony and Tucson were riding with the Pony Express in "1861" (before the Civil War)...it took me a while! Nonetheless, the producers must have gotten a good horse laugh with this one knowing how confusing it all could be. The picture might have been more aptly titled "The Town that Time Forgot," since the valley of New Hope seems to never have seen nor heard of automobiles, paved roads, or restrictions on open gun play. But when it comes time to build the dam the latest in 1939 trucks and other heavy motorized equipment grind away at the construction scene. Oh well, at least we have the Mesquiteers doing their best to save their friends' and their own homes from the dastardly State and some in-cahoots swindling developers. Ray Corrigan and John Wayne do their work but kind of get lost in all the action. And even though there are some curious moments in the film (like when Wayne nonchalantly knocks a supporting henchman just doing his work into the roaring rapids below) one can rightly get caught up in rooting for the residents in the valley facing eviction from their homes. This movie has an average amount of action (some good horse-mounted riding, for example) and a good cast, including some nice moments with Eddy Waller, who in a decade or so later would find lots of work sidekicking with Rocky Lane as Nugget. Expert cutting and B&W cinematography garner some points, too, so check you logic at the foyer, find your favorite theater seat, and enjoy John Wayne's final Mesqiiteers appearance in a fairly good show.

"Impoverished by civil war, and faced with the painful labor of reconstruction, thousands of Americans cut the old tries and took the immigrant trail to the free lands of the far west – and a new beginning," according to the opening...

A pioneering family led by soldier Eddy Waller (as Steven Braddock) finds a beautiful area to settle and they name the place "New Hope Valley" because if symbolizes new hope. Fifty years later, the family and other residents celebrate the town's golden anniversary. On hand are Republic Pictures' "The Three Mesquiteers" – leader John Wayne (as Stony Brooke), partner Ray Corrigan (as Tucson Smith) and comic sidekick Raymond Hatton (as Rusty Joslin). They seem to be, herein, based in "New Hope" and riding the (?) Pony Express. Trouble arrives when nasty government men and land contractors declare "New Hope Valley" is condemned, so they can level the town and build a damn. Outraged citizens convince Mr. Wayne to lead the opposition...

This routine round-up was the last series appearance for two of the Mesquiteers. Wayne was obviously off to greener pastures due to his choice role in director John Ford's "Stagecoach" (1939). He would be replaced by returning "Stony" Robert Livingston. Also calling it quits, Mr. Corrigan went on to star in his own series, with Bob Steele taking over the "Tucson" role. Republic remembered they already had a "New Frontier" (1935) starring John Wayne, so they re-titled this "Frontier Horizon". Making her film debut herein is pretty young Phylis Isley, who became very popular after changing her name to "Jennifer Jones" and hooking up with producer David O. Selznick. In Hollywood, being noticed by John Ford or David Selznick certainly helped.

*** New Frontier Horizon (8/10/39) George Sherman ~ John Wayne, Ray Corrigan, Raymond Hatton, Jennifer Jones

John Wayne said farewell to the Three Mesquiteers film series and to the character of Stoney Burke he had played in them. The Mesquiteers would continue on without the Duke as they had before him. Herbert J. Yates and Republic finally decided that Wayne had become too big a star to continue him in B westerns. His next film after this was a loan out to RKO, Allegheny Uprising.

In fact there was another change in the cast, Max Terhune left the series even before this and was replaced by Raymond Hatton.

New Frontier, not to be confused with the Kennedy administration, also has Phyllis Isley as the leading lady. Her next film would win her an Academy Award and a name change to Jennifer Jones. Of course that is the Song of Bernadette. She never did do a film with Wayne after this, but I'm guessing it was because the Duke didn't want to work for David O. Selznick.

This entry in the Mesquiteers films deals with the right of eminent domain. The Mesquiteers ranch and the property of all the others in New Hope Valley has been condemned because the state wants to build a dam for a large city and create a reservoir where their property is. This subject was dealt with in a quite serious way in Elia Kazan's film Wild River about the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Of course here it's all part of land swindle, but Stoney, Tucson, and Rusty put things to right in the end and do it with the same pioneer spirit their ancestors showed.

You would expect anything else from a John Wayne film?

Starring: John Wayne, Ray Corrigan and Raymond Hatton.

A great western style movie full of action. This story is about Three Mesquiteers who trade their property to these guys who capture them and they don't have time to warn their friends, The Ranchers. A fantastic movie that the whole family will enjoy!