La Rivière écarlate

I wonder why this movie has a low rating? Of course with only 15 folks voting on it, there may be some bias. I found it funny, action filled, and not as cliche as most films from the thirties. I love the charismatic and tough, cocky, self assured character's Wayne played in the thirties, before becoming a bruting middle aged man. I say check this one out, it is worth it. Stiles as the bad guy is perfect. You really end up cheering for "The King of the Pecos", too take the bad guys down. 6/10

1st watched 12/30/2001 - 4 out of 10(Dir-Joseph Kane): Uninspired early John Wayne western portraying him at his early acting stages where he seems to just be doing the lines without putting any feeling into them. This story could have brought out much emotion(Wayne's character's father being murdered and him returning as a lawyer to do in the killer) but it's pretty much kept at bay so that we're presented with a flat and typical gun-shooting contest. Wayne is a handsome young stud here but not much else and the screenplay comes across like it was written on the way over to the set without much patchwork done to it. I'm sure Wayne's tall good looks and smile kept his contract going until he was able to actually do some real acting later in his career so for this I'm grateful(I guess).

John Wayne reprises many a role from his past as the man whom, as young boy, witnessed the murder of his parents. This time, it's the cattle baron "Stiles" (Cy Kendall) on whom he is fixated for revenge. He is now, though, a lawyer and so has decided to legitimately dismantle the extensive empire of his nemesis who would rather own the law than adhere to it. Initially dismissive of the young man's efforts, it's soon clear that In so doing he is risking life and limb, as well as those of the gal "Belle" (Muriel Evans). Nothing at all new here, just another 60 minute B-feature, but the Duke is on good form and Kendall makes for quite an effective, odious baddie. Joseph Kane keeps the pace hot, and there are plenty of brawls and galloping chases to keep it interesting, if hardly, challenging.

When John Clayborn (John Wayne) was a child, he witnessed his parents being murdered by Alexander Stiles (Cy Kendall), the developer who wanted control over their land. Clayborn has grown up with one goal -- to get revenge on Stiles. He becomes a lawyer, but, when the judge won't find Stiles guilty, Clayborn resorts to other methods of retaliation. He enlists other men who have been wronged by Stiles and together they take their guns and embark on a mission to hunt him down.

John Wayne as a level-headed lawyer who wants revenge makes "King of the Pecos" entertaining,plus the plot is quite involving with some shoot em up touches and good landscape. Definitely a better Wayne early western.

King of the Pecos has a pre-Stagecoach John Wayne witnessing the murder of his parents by a no good land swindling dealer played by Cy Kendall. Of course he's a little kid at the time, but when he grows up he becomes a lawyer. But he's no ordinary lawyer, he can ride, and shoot, and fight with the best of them.

Kendall doesn't outrightly own a whole lot of the land he's swindled from folks. He just has phony options. Lawyer Wayne take him to court as well as deal with him in the usual John Wayne fashion.

This is far from the best western the Duke ever made, but it's pretty good for the B product he was stuck in at the time. And his legion of fans will love it.