Panhandle

A sombre Rod Cameron western remembered today because the 25 year-old Blake Edwards, after five years languishing in bit parts, collaborated with John C. Champion behind the camera as writer & producer. He is also billed fifth as the youngest, most sharply dressed and slightly built of chief baddie Reed Hadley's trio of henchmen (which Edwards acknowledges in the script by having Cameron condescendingly address him as 'sonny' and 'Little Boy Blue').

I was proved right near the end (SLIGHT SPOILER COMING) when I thought it unwise of Cameron to take a chair with the window behind it to join a card game; and someone seems to have tossed a coin to decide which of the two female leads Cameron eventually ends up with.

"Panhandle" is a B-western from Allied Artists...the same company formerly known as Monogram Pictures. I am not sure of the name change and assume it was simply because Monogram had a pretty poor reputation and the name change would possibly evoke more positive imagery to the consumer. However, despite this, "Panhandle" was actually a pretty good film...better than I expected.

John Sands (Rod Cameron) was a feared gunman long ago. However, he tired of the life and retired to a small border town. But this quiet life is interrupted when he learns that his brother was murdered in another town. And, when he arrives in the town, he realizes NOTHING is done without the local boss' permission. In other words, Matt Garson (Reed Hadley) is clearly behind his brother's murder. But since he's the boss, he has lots of men to go through and John will sure have a difficult time getting to him.

Apart from one woman who is inexplicably nasty towards a poor Mexican guy, the acting was very good and the villain easy to hate. I also thought Cameron and the fight scenes were done very well. I have no major complaints about the story and it held my interest throughout.

Having fled to Mexico to escape murder charges, a former lawman by the name of John Sands (Rod Cameron) is told by a young woman named "Jean 'Dusty' Stewart" (Cathy Downs) that his brother has been killed in Texas. That said, he decides to ride north to find the man responsible and seek revenge. To that effect, when he arrives in the town where his brother was murdered, it doesn't take long for John to suspect that a man named "Matt Garson" (Reed Hadley) was directly involved. But before he can do anything, he needs proof, which means gathering information from the local townspeople. It's during this time that he meets a young woman named "June O'Carroll" (Anne Gwynne), and they quickly become attracted to each other. The problem, however, is that she works for Matt Garson, who has his own romantic hopes for her and doesn't like seeing her with another man-especially John Sands. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, despite the general B-movie aspects surrounding this film, it still turned out quite entertaining, with Rod Cameron putting in a solid performance overall. Personally, I'm not sure why both Cathy Downs and Anne Gwynee were cast as the director, (Lesley Selander) could have easily combined both roles and made things much simpler. Not that I'm complaining about having two attractive actresses in the same film, mind you, but it does seem somewhat puzzling. In any case, I believe that viewers looking for a solid traditional Western could certainly do a lot worse, and I have rated this movie accordingly.

Panhandle is directed by Leslie Selander and written by John C. Champion and Blake Edwards. It stars Rod Cameron, Cathy Downs, Reed Hadley, Anne Gwynne, Blake Edwards, Dick Crockett and Rory Mallinson. Music is by Rex Dunn and cinematography by Harry Neumann.

John Sands (Cameron) has to return to his gunfighter ways when news reaches him that his brother has been murdered...

Filmed in Sepiatone and a little more serious than many other 1940's Westerns, Panhandle is a satisfying experience for genre enthusiasts. Formula is rife as we would come to know it in Oaters, though, as picture ticks off the check list: badman turned good who is forced to turn bad again for revenge, romance tingling in the air, quick draw shoot-outs, punch-up, weasel villain and his hired cronies, poker games with the inevitable cheat called out and the "hooray" finale. All of which is nicely directed and performed by the cast. The location scenery doesn't get much chance to shine through, and in truth the Sepiatone does little to improve the picture, but this is easily recommended to the Western faithful. 7/10

So, can ex-marshal, now outlaw, John Sands avenge his brother's killing by ruthless town bigwig Garson and his band of toughies. Still and all, Sands is played by a rugged 6'5" Rod Cameron who looks every inch of it and handles it, as well. But, he'll need to because Garson's played by 6'4" Reed Hadley in what amounts to a potentially towering face-off. Plus, there's Garson's over-eager gunsel Floyd (Edwards) who just can't seem to wait for any kind of gunplay. At the same time, hovering in the background are unbending arms of the law. All in all, things look bleak for the compromised ex-marshal.

It's a B-Western with a number of unusually good touches not often found in the genre. For example, take that nifty showdown in the rain, a real oddity; then there're the great Amarillo area scenic shots, dry as a bone; plus, which of the two lovely town gals will Sands end up with, blonde Dusty or brunette June; and lastly catch those unforced humorous touches that fit right in. Still, it's Cameron's impressive presence and understated performance that rivets the show, along with an unexpectedly memorable ending. At same time, I can't help thinking the producers of the Gary Cooper classic High Noon (1952) were influenced by this sneaky little 1948 gem. So catch up with it if you can.

( In Passing - that's the same Blake Edwards of later fame who produced and-or directed many of the Pink Panther flicks along with the classic Peter Gunn TV series, among others. Meanwhile, thanks to this flick, I won't be visiting a barber anytime soon, especially if I have to open the door. Just don't tell the wife.)