Dawn on the Great Divide

This Western B-movie throws a lot of exposition at you and you can't follow the plot. The acting and the dialogue is sub-par. However, Jack Carson the gambler is the most interesting character and his actions keep you guessing throughout the second half of the film.

This is Buck Jones' last film. Sadly, the guy would die soon after this in a fire--along with a lot of other innocent folks. While it's not among his best films, it is a solid B movie and a decent way for him to end his career.

The film does NOT start off well. It has many moments where folks give long expositions instead of talking naturally or allowing things to happen normally. Often, folks just start talking to their friends--giving them back story that the friend SHOULD already know but which is provided for the audience. It's very unnatural and is a case of bad writing. Fortunately, the rest of the film is a bit better. The plot is the standard greedy baddie who wants to destroy and steal-- all hiding in the guise of his men dressed up as American Indians.

So why did I still give this one a 5? Well, there are more than the usual number of scenes which are sentimental and show character development. Plus, the story has a few nice moments. Worth seeing if you are a Buck Jones fan.

"Dawn On the Great Divide" was to be another entry in Monogram's popular Rough Rider series which had starred Buck Jones, Tim McCoy and Raymond Hatton. At that time McCoy was called into active service in WWII and he was replaced by Rex Bell who had starred in a couple of poverty row series in the early 30s. Jones and Hatton continued to play the same characters namely Buck Roberts and Sandy Hopkins respectively. Bell, who was no McCoy, played Jack Carson the third member of the trio.

The story (which appears to have a larger budget than usual) has Jones and Hatton guiding a wagon train of settlers and railroad supplies across the plains. Meanwhile Jim Corkle (Harry Woods) and his gang have been raiding the wagon trains disguised as Indians, to protect their interest in the town of Beaver Lake. Bell is working under cover within Wood's organization. Naturally, good triumphs over evil in the finale.

Unfortunately, this would be the last of the Rough Rider series as Buck Jones would die tragically in a fire in Boston in November, 1942 before this film was released. It was however, a better than average film for him to end his illustrious career, that had dated back to the early days of silent films.

The picture is also blessed with a great cast of familiar supporting players. Mona Barrie plays Sadie, the gambling lady, and Christine McIntyre plays Mary the good heroine who gets to sing a couple of songs. Roy Barcroft who was just coming into his own, has the honor of being the last villain that Jones ever gunned down. Others in Woods' gang include Robert Frazer, Bud Osborne, I. Stanford Jolley and Dennis Moore. Robert Lowery and Tris Coffin appear in other roles.

Rex Bell was more famous for being married to silent film "It" girl Clara Bow. Except for a couple of insignificant minor parts, this would also be his final film. Bell would go on to become the Lieutenant-Governor of Nevada in the late 50s.

I have to admit that I had a lump in my throat as I watched old favorite Buck Jones ride off into the sunset for the last time.

From great western-monogram, this stars buck jones and mona barrie. The united states marshalls are escorting a wagon train convoy of supplies to the west. But corkle and his cronies are determined to use dirty tricks to rob the wagons of the supplies. The only names i recognize are buck jones, mona barrie, and charles saldani. He played "the indian" in so many films and tv series. The usual galloping horses, wagons tipping over, gun fights. Some scenes are so dark, we can't really see what's going on. Lots of fawncy hats on mona barrie... for a wagon ride. Through indian territory. This is probably one of the films where they didn't renew the copyright, so people are free to make copies of copies, and they get worse each time. The story is okay, but the picture quality is a bit iffy. Some great scenery of big bear and the hills of newhall, north of los angeles. Directed by howie bretherton. Jones and barrie both died quite young. Ironically, jones died in a horrible fire, at a facility that was honoring him and his current monogram project.

This couldn't have been a better swan song for western great Buck Jones. Dawn is a great story with a magnificent cast. While Rough Rider Tim McCoy is doing his patriotic duty in WWII, Rex Bell is filling is nicely as the undercover agent posing as the town gambler. Beaver Lake is run by Hollywood's favorite villain Harry Woods and his brother Judge John Corkle (Robert Frazer) is on the wagon train coming to solidify the crime cartel. Of course Raymond Hatton as Sandy Hopkins as the best sidekick ever gives Buck and Rex all the help they can hope for. Matinee idol Betty Blythe shows why she was so popular with a great performance as the judgmental busy body Elmira Corkle. A well written story with plenty of drama and action with a who's who of henchmen and stuntmen.