Gunsmoke Ranch

Watching this movie at classiccinemaonline.com is probably not the best way to see it, but it beats the heck out of not seeing it.

My connection (DSL) created some jumpiness, but there was still a lot of quality visible, from a story by the great Oliver Drake, to directing by the equally great Joseph Kane.

Of course the Three Mesquiteers, the almost original threesome (Terhune, Corrigan, Livingston), are nearly always watchable, so the ingredients are there for a very good movie.

To be honest, I rated it higher than I felt what I saw deserved, with my jumpy connection and the abysmal attempts at "comedy," but, still, it's the Mesquiteers and Drake and Kane, and some great stunt work (the unsurpassed Yakima Canutt) and great camera angles, and what was apparently great stock footage in spots, and an exciting score by the great Raoul Kraushaar.

With all that, it is definitely a must-see for western fans, for Republic fans, and for Mesquiteers fans. And for Kraushaar fans, including me.

After a devastating flood wipes out the farms and homes of a large area in the Midwest, a man by the name of "Phineas T. Flagg" (Kenneth Harlan) appears and offers to sell them prime land in Arizona for an extremely cheap rate. Not realizing how deceptive this man has been in the past, the local people take him up on his offer and sell everything they have to purchase the deeds to these lands from him. Sure enough, once they finally arrive in Arizona, they learn that the land they just purchased is about to be flooded due to the construction of a dam and that the contract they signed leaves them no option to negotiate with the federal government about it. Fortunately, there just happens to be three cowboys named "Tucson Smith" (Ray Corrigan), "Stony Brooke" (Robert Livingston) and "Lullaby Joslin" (Max Terhune) in that part of Arizona who are wise to Phineas T. Flagg and know how to deal with conmen like him. But the question soon becomes whether these "Three Mesquiteers" will be able to help these settlers before the federal government floods the area and leaves them homeless again. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I was somewhat disappointed with this film for a couple of reasons. For starters, I don't particularly care that much for the comedic antics of Lullaby Joslin and this film featured him way too much. Yet as bad as his comedy routine was, the director (Joseph Kane) then threw in another character named "Elmer Twiddlebaum" (Lou Fulton) who was even worse. Fortunately, things improved during the second half of the film which almost salvaged the movie overall. But on the whole, it just wasn't enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.

I'm sure this particular Three Mesquiteer film resonated well with people in the dust bowl. Though it's not The Grapes Of Wrath, Gunsmoke Ranch is about people dispossessed from their land and at the mercy of one ruthless conman.

People have been flooded out of their homes in the Mississippi Valley and have headed west for a new start as they've taken an option on land in the far west. Robert Livingston, Ray Corrigan, and Max Terhune however know the man behind the scheme and its Kenneth Harlan who they know to be a conman.

Harlan runs true to form and when the new arrivals have made sufficient improvements he plans to sell the land to the state for a new dam and he can get a lot more back on improved land.

I'm sure that every farmer who was dispossessed of his land due to flood or drought or whatever wanted to kill Harlan who watched this film in 1937. Very rarely do B westerns deal with modern relevant topics and this one is not only good but a rarity.

These B-westerns were a staple of my diet as a kid growing up in the 40s and even the 1950's. We played outside all the time and there was no T.V. to watch so the movies became Radio come to life. We could see the action and not just hear it. Cowboys weren't that far fetched in those days as lots of large ranches were still running beef cattle in the western states so to see cowboys on the screen was to live the life. Mostly old timers like myself will enjoy Gunsmoke Ranch but if you sit down with your grandchild (and they are young enough) to watch don't be surprised if they like it too. Don't be too critical and remember this little studio made this on a very small budget.

Ray Corrigan, Robert Livingston, and Max Terhune try to prevent a crooked real estate tycoon from swindling a group of displaced flood victims by selling them worthless farm land for twenty-five times the original price as part of a bigger scheme.

Another light-weight, but watchable entry in Republic Pictures' Three Mesquiteers series, this one has the usual good photography, humor, and decent action scenes, including a good climax. Particularly enjoyable is the excellent rocky desert scenery.

It's not the best or most memorable Mesquiteers adventure. However, it's fun while it lasts, with scene-stealing Terhune and his dummy getting the best moments this time around.