Sagebrush Law

Before he enlisted for the duration, Tim Holt shot six of his RKO western series to keep his fans happy during the Second World War. This is one of them.

Tim gets a message that his father the banker needs help and heads off, followed by sidekick Cliff a Edwards. When they arrive, they discover dad is dead. But there are suspicious circumstances, a missing set of books and pretty Joan Barclay to investigate.

The movie moves at a good clip, thanks to director Sam Nelson, better known as an assistant director on movies like MEMBER OF THE WEDDING and SPARTACUS. Edwards clowns well and sings a couple of songs and if it isn't a great movie, the fights and riding are up to par.

Sagebrush Law in this case is being administered by Tim Holt and sidekick Cliff Edwards. The culprits are Roy Barcroft and Ernie Adams and fans of the B western usually know that when these two make an appearance in a film, no doubt as to who the villains are.

Not that it's much of a secret during the film as to who the villains are and what they're up to. Tim's father who is a respected banker in the town sends for his cowboy son because he feels he's in trouble. Minutes before Holt and Edwards arrive in town, the father is found shot to death in the bank.

And of course later on a bank examiner finds that the bank is insolvent because the father has been dipping in the till. But there's skulduggery afoot and it involves a second set of books and a bit more besides.

Sagebrush Law is your usual no frills Tim Holt B western. What I always liked about Holt westerns is their consistent quality of writing and a cowboy hero who was usually all business. I will say this that even when Tim says that the suicide the doctor declared is really a homicide, the doctor himself should have realized it if in fact this is a small town and everyone knows everyone and there habits and idiosyncrasies.

But don't let that deter you from watching Sagebrush Law.

I'm not a fan of westerns and usually can't stand the ones that were made quickly in the 1940s and 1950s. They usually ran an hour or so, had ridiculously simple plots and enough fights and action to keep the kids in the audience satisfied. This is no exception. Still, for what it is, it's not bad. The fights and action were exciting and Holt is tall and handsome in the lead. He couldn't act at all but these were not acting films. The only debits were his annoying sidekick (the odious comic relief) and some REALLY bad "humor. Still I was entertained.

Tom Weston arriving in town just as the Doctor announces his father's death a suicide, sees the gun is in the wrong hand. When the Bank Examiner announces the bank has no money and Tom's identity becomes known, the townsmen attempt to hang him. Escaping he finds the phony examiner and gets a a confession. Then he plans a trap for the murderer.

Not the most action-packed or as energetic as the other Holt westerns I have seen but it's still an enjoyable western with some fine plot twists, great comic turn by Cliff Edwards and Roy Barcroft doing what he does best - playing a heavy. Nice stunt work on a Stagecoach.