The Whirlwind

Tim McCoy stars in this film, though like a Rough Rider or Three Mesquiteer film, he's got company. Patrick O'Malley (not to be mistaken with J. Patrick O'Malley) and J. Carrol Naish are his sidekicks. It seems that since McCoy was framed by an evil galoot ('Tate Hurley--played by Matthew Betz), he and his two buddies have bounced around the west. Now, after begin gone from his old hometown for many years, McCoy has returned and wants to not only prove his innocence but help his ungrateful and stupid father, as Hurley owns the note on his ranch and is planning to foreclose. So how is McCoy to handle this? Yep, with a wrestling match--complete with a regulation ring. I am sure that's how ALL the cowboys settled their differences back then!!! But, things don't go quite as McCoy and his buddies plan, so they need to switch to plan B. See this for yourself to find out what happens next.

I am sure a few folks will be offended by Naish's VERY broad performance as an American-Indian named...'Injun' (wow, that took a lot of thought), but at least he was a good guy and our heroes treated him like a brother. As for the plot, it's decent but a bit predictable. Plus, I still am laughing at the whole wrestling match angle...that certainly is a first! Fun, but inconsequential.

Sometimes we must face facts, and the fact is this Tim McCoy adventure is not up to standard expectations. The story is good enough, but it is not complex and doesn't lend itself to a lot of useful filling out, and so it is not really all that engrossing. The film acknowledges this, too, by having a lot of time consumed by filler, meaning considerable time in rodeo competitions, an indoor arena wrestling match, and a music-filled barn dance.

McCoy doesn't have a great deal of emoting to do here, but his powerful presence is still on display and is the reason we are all watching. Beyond that, it is nice to see a well- recognized actor in the cast who is of a caliber higher than a standard B-western player, namely J. Carrol Naish; as an Indian named Injun, however, he didn't exactly add luster to his credentials with this entry. As an additional note, tall and young Glenn Strange has an uncredited part in this film, in his third year of movie service.

So for me, the only thing to compel someone to watch this uncharacteristically lackluster Tim McCoy film would be to complete one's personal roster of viewed McCoy movies.