The Fighting Buckaroo

Yet another 'B' western with the word 'Fighting' in the title, 'The Fighting Buckaroo' is the usual brew of stock footage, wrongful accusations, long declamatory scenes of plot exposition (including the usual perfunctory declarations of undying love) with the actors lined up facing each other to deliver their lines, a cute kid and an incredible scrap between hero Charles Starrett and one of the bad guys that simultaneously justifies the title and wrecks the place.

The villain's gang sure are an ugly bunch, with even their otherwise dapper leader Sam Thatcher sporting an unshaven chin that seems to be part of their uniform. The most striking features of the film are probably heroine Kay Harris's chic, anachronistic 40's shoulders and hairstyle, and the rock formations around which the climactic hillside shoot-out is fought.

A generic B Western title -- it was used for a Buck Jones oater in 1926 -- conceals an example of the fine Starrett B westerns from this era. He's an ex-Ranger in this one, called in to deal with cattle rustlers who are pinning the blame on Stanley Bride. Can Starrett find the baddies and get Stanley married to Kay Harris in less than an hour of screen time?

Starrett's westerns were always economically shot, but the folks at Columbia knew how to give value for money. Arthur Hunnicutt show up in his first foray in Hollywood as Starrett's sidekick. Johnny Luther's Ranh Boys sing several times; they offer a particularly nice version of "Walking the Floors Over You". The script makes sense (they didn't always in the Bs) and Benjamin Kline's camera-work is, as always, particularly nice, with some nice portrait shots -- I particularly liked the way he composed and shot the "Blue-Eyed Elaine" scene.

It's not the best of the Bs, but it is a solid effort. You can show this one to your friends without worrying.