Good golly, Miss Molly!1890 Wyoming is pictured as more violent than 'bleeding' Kansas. Looks like the outlaws may outnumber the law-abiding citizens, burning them out to make them leave, and turning prospective residents away at the borders. It's looking like Wyoming is well on the way to being populated by only terrorists and other miscreants! I hope you don't take this as a history lesson! The real Wyoming was nothing like this, but this image provides the setting for an exciting John Wayne western. Of course, there are shootings, horse chases, and fist fights, and the occasional stick of dynamite........The man behind much of the violence is one Charles Plummer(Harry Woods) who, ironically, masquerades as the Chairman of the Committee on Law and Order!! His 'field general', who actually supervises misdeeds, is Steele(Al Bridge). In contrast to Plummer, he actually looks like an archetypical outlaw.........Having heard of the situation, an official of the U.S. Justice Department sends John Wayne and his friend Bridger (Lane Chandler) to investigate and do what they can to minimize the influence of the criminal element in the coming referendum to determine if residents want Wyoming to become a state. This official claims that if it becomes a state, the criminal element will virtually vanish.(Maybe)........George 'Gabby' Hays, as Major Carter, back in Virginia, for some strange reason, got exciting about the situation in Wyoming, and decided to buy the Crocket City Blaze(newspaper), and become it's editor, espousing the advantages of statehood. His eligible daughter, Janet(Ann Rutherford), came along with him to assist him. Besides, the male/female ratio there was much more favorable. Of course, she eventually becomes Wayne's love interest, despite an abrasive introduction. Plummer warns Carter that the last editor was shot dead in his office. But, this doesn't dissuade Carter from printing inflammatory editorials.....To provide a bit of comic relief, 2 African Americans are included: 'Snowflake' Toones, as Moses, arrived as the driver of the buggy carrying the Carters from Virginia. He will continue to serve them. Etta McDaniel, sister of the Oscar winning Hattie McDaniel, plays Mandy Lou: a domestic, who occasionally has a conversation with Moses, as the only 2 African Americans in the community. Moses provides the comic looks and dialogue. Some of you may not appreciate the racial stereotypes...... As often happens in westerns, the damsel loses her significant other, often her father, thus symbolically, this opens wider the door for a new significant other(the hero).......Don't expect to find George Hays in his mode as a grizzled, charismatic, sidekick. As in some other of his early film roles, here he keeps his teeth, providing no hint of his speech manner as Gabby. Here, he's a refined gentleman of letters, with no time for foolishness... See it at YouTube.!
