Wagon Wheels

The print for this old western is only fair and unfortunately it does not have any sort of captioning---either closed captioning or DVD captions.

I chose to watch this film because it starred Randolph Scott--and I never turn down a chance to see another one of his westerns. Compared to the average film in the genre, Scott's always seem a bit better--much of it due to Scott's seemingly effortless acting. Even here, early in his career, his gentle yet rugged persona is intact--and quite enjoyable in this rather short B-movie. Another reason, it turned out, to see it was young Billy Lee--one of the cutest child actors I can recall--and not in a cloying and saccharine manner.

Not surprisingly considering the title, "Wagon Wheels" is about a wagon train that is heading to Oregon but must deal with the elements as well as American-Indians that are being stirred up by a jerky half-Indian (Murdock). Scott and his two very scruffy looking friends are in charge of getting these settlers to their destination.

As for the story, it's very straight-forward---without a lot of the sentiment and clichés you'd normally find in a 30s B-movie. As a result, the film does seem a tad rushed but is otherwise pretty watchable.

By the way, for historical purists out there, while the story is supposed to be set around 1850, the guns are clearly newer--with the settlers using what appear to be cartridges--which were not readily available at that time in history. Also, while popular in films, American-Indians did NOT make a habit of attacking wagon trains--in fact, it was a very, very rare occurrence.

One of about twenty Zane Grey novels filmed by Paramount from 1930-1940, WAGON WHEELS is a remake of FIGHTING CARAVAN, a movie about the Oregon Trail. It's definitely a B movie, with its running time under an hour, plenty of library footage to give it some size, Charles Barton sitting in the director's chair for the first time and singing to eke it out -- Even Randolph Scott warbles a couple of lines of the title song.

It's worth seeing for Scott in an early western. His first appearance in one had been a bit part in THE VIRGINIAN, but since his success in WILD HORSE MESA and THE THUNDERING HERD, Paramount had been giving him one or two oaters a year, in between the usual assortment of comedies, dramas and even lending him to other studios for musicals. He's solid here, opposite Gail Patrick, with some good support from Raymond Hatton as an old Mountain Man. However, it's still an okay B movie, even if he would do great things in the genre over the next three decades.

A wagon train bound for Oregon, a couple of bad guys, a dash of romance, a charming hero with grizzled sidekicks, and some "Cowboys and Indians" shoot outs make for a classic old Western.

In 1844 scout Clint Belmet and his two sidekicks guide a wagon train to the newly opened Oregon territory despite hardships and Indian attack in this Early Randolph Scott western that is pleasant viewing though it has tendency to meander.

Wagon wheels, sometimes called caravans west. A remake of the 1923 covered wagons with alan hale, and the 1931 fighting caravans with gary cooper. This one has randolph scott in the zane grey story of wagons heading west. The guvment has promised land to anyone making the journey. Costars gail patrick, better known for godfrey and stage door. The travelers weren't just fighting the indians; some private companies in the fur and animal trade were also attacking the wagons and the critters along the route to discourage more from making the attempt. A song by the guardsmen. And an operetta by jan duggan; duggan appeared in many films with w.c. Fields. It's pretty good! More story, less silliness and fanfare than the 1931 version. Directed by charles barton. He had made a bunch of abbott and costello films. Even won best AD oscar for paramount studios. Story by zane grey. Some fun trivia: gail patrick's husband robert cobb apparently invented the cobb salad.. and the shirley temple drink!