Wolves of the Range

As a novice banker, Dan Brady seeks to assist ranchers struggling under severe drought conditions. Noting the bank's effectiveness in helping the ranchers, but not his own ambitious plans, Harry Dorn wants to get rid of Brady. Now comes Jack Hammond to win a gunfight with Brady and be acquitted of murder. The ensuing run on the bank then threatens to bring financial disaster to the community, unless Rocky Cameron can timely deliver a cash infusion to the bank and overcome the efforts of Dorn's gang to stop him. Note that the early appearance of the Lone Rider showed Rocky wearing a black eye mask and riding a white horse, trademarks of the Lone Ranger. With this diverse subject matter, this film is worth consideration for viewing.

When the head of the Cattlemen's Association, Harry Dorn (I. Stanford Jolley) relates that he can't do anything to help the cattlemen, Banker Brady (Ed Cassidy) decides to be their benefactor. His daughter Ann Brady (Frances Gladwin) tells him he doesn't know anything about banking. Brady retorts,"All you do is give away money you don't need and get notes for it". Seems rather naive especially when Dorn is none too happy and he wants to throw lead in his direction. Rocky (Robert Livingston) also runs into an entanglement in the form of an ambush when he tries to secure the money for the bank notes. The Keystone Cop background of Al St. John really shows in this one. His gun flipping, quirky mannerisms and jawing with irate cattlemen were quintessential Fuzzy. However, his bank fight scene is not to be missed. If anything, Wolves of the Range highlights the great talents of the consummate entertainer, Al St. John.

This film essentially begins with a severe draught out west which is seriously impacting the ability of the local cattle ranchers to make ends meet. Fortunately, the local banker "Dan Brady" (Ed Cassidy) actually cares about the people in that area and is doing everything he can to help them out. Conversely, the person in charge of the local Cattlemen's Association named "Harry Dorn" (I. Stanford Jolley) is secretly working against them by hiring men to rustle their cattle and damage their property. Recognizing that help is needed, Dan Brady calls upon an old friend named "Rocky Cameron" (Robert Livingston) who knows how to handle issues of this sort. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay Western which was limited, to a certain degree, by the comedic performance of Al St. John (as Rocky's trusted sidekick "Fuzzy Q. Jones") with one scene involving a good luck charm being especially ridiculous. At least, that is how it seemed to me. Be that as it may, while I certainly don't consider this to be a great Western by any means, I suppose it passed the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Bob Livingston is the lead in Wolves On The Range part of the Lone Rider series for poverty row PRC pictures. He and sidekick Al St.John come to the aid of ranchers being squeezed by I. Stanford Jolley head of the cattleman's association. Jolley goes so far as to have the town banker shot down in cold blood.

Later on Livingston suffers a head injury with amnesia and can't remember what he did with fresh money he was bringing for the bank. Rather unusual injury for the hero and I nevr quite believed it.

And Al St.John was more silly than funny in this film.