Rainbow Valley

RAINBOW VALLEY (Monogram Studios, 1935), directed by Robert N. Bradbury, stars John Wayne in his thirteenth Lone Star poverty-row western. Using the same leading players (Lucille Browne, George Hayes, Leroy Mason, Buffalo Bill Jr., Bert Dillard and Frank Ball) and same director from Wayne's previous effort of TEXAS TERROR (1935), RAINBOW VALLEY is another one of those under one-hour quickies that looks like it was filmed and put together within a few hours yet gets by as second feature entertainment.

With plot summary put together after watching it on DVD, the story starts off with John Martin (John Wayne) paying a storekeeper (Lafe McKee) $210 for his new western attire, gun and horse, along with asking directions on how to get to Rainbow Valley. John rides out sixty miles to his destination. Before arriving to Rainbow Valley, he helps the stranded George Hale (George Hayes) needing water for his overheated jalopy he names "Nugget Nell." A mail carrier by profession along with bags of gold for the miners to take to the post office, John saves the day once more for George (whom he affectionately calls "Old Timer") from being trailed and held up by four pursuing bandits shooting behind him. Arriving at Rainbow Valley, John makes the acquaintance of George's niece, Eleanor (Lucille Browne), the local postmistress. He immediately gets on her bad side when suspecting Morgan Rogers (Leroy Mason), whom Eleanor admires, as part of the gang trying to rob her Uncle George. John soon confronts another man he recognized in the attempted robbery but without proper identification from George, he's forced to let him go. With Rainbow Valley being terrorized by renegades and in desperate need of law and order, Mr. Powell (Frank Ball), an important man in town, after witnessing the way John handles himself in tough situations, chooses this young engineer by profession him to help supervise with the completion of the road construction to town. All goes well until the arrival of Austin "Butch" Galt (Buffalo Bill Jr.) and Morgan stirring up trouble to discredit John's good name among his workers. Other members of the cast include Bert Dillard (Spike). Though Lloyd Ingraham is credited, he is not seen in the final print,

With John Wayne and George Hayes teaming up together for the twelfth time certainly make a grand team. For RAINBOW VALLEY, Hayes is slightly bearded, a beard that would become his trademark for his beloved character later identified and credited as "Gabby" Hayes. Reportedly clocked at 52 or 55 minutes, it's obvious the 49-minute edition of RAINBOW VALLEY is missing opening material, based on existing picture stills with Wayne and Lloyd Ingraham identified for this production not available in circulating prints. My guess is when RAINBOW VALLEY was sold to television dating back to the 1950s, it was cut down to make room for commercial breaks to fit it into its one-hour time slot and never restored. Unlike the other Wayne/Lone Star westerns (1933-1935), RAINBOW VALLEY doesn't seem to have been televised on public television since then, considering how the others turned up after a long hiatus in the 1980s decades later on cable television as American Movie Classics or Turner Classic Movies. Though a public domain title available on home video and DVD, RAINBOW VALLEY can be seen on YouTube or found on-demand from MGM Plus Channel. Regardless of handicaps no underscoring, lackluster production and unconvincing fistfights, all this is either overlooked or forgiven thanks to another likeable presence of the youthful John Wayne. (**)

Filmed in 1935 this movie stars John Wayne as a cowboy named "John Martin" who is on his way to the small, isolated town of "Rainbow Valley". While riding his horse he happens to come across an old man by the name of "George Hale" (George Hayes) who tells him he needs water desperately for "Nellie". Figuring that he needs it for his horse, John gives him his canteen only to discover that "Nellie" is an automobile and George is the mailman for Rainbow Valley. Having added the water to his car's radiator George thanks John and tells him he will probably see him again in Rainbow Valley. Since both are headed that way John decides to follow George from a distance. It's at this time that he hears gunshots and notices that some outlaws on horseback are chasing after George. Naturally, John rides to the rescue and after taking on the crooks one by one escorts the now-wounded George to the doctor in Rainbow Valley. Once he gets to town he is informed that Rainbow Valley has been plagued by crooks and that the residents are in desperate need of someone who can fend off the outlaws trying to stop the workers from restoring the only road connecting Rainbow Valley with the nearest town 60 miles away. At any rate, rather than detailing the entire story I will just say that this was a decent Western B-movie all things considered. Besides being quite old it is also a bit short (about 52 minutes). But the acting was adequate enough and the movie turned out to be somewhat entertaining all the same. That said, I suppose it merits an average rating.

Some very interesting directorial touches help this -- pardon the pun -- rather pedestrian Western: There weren't enough horses for the towns people so they had to reach the battlefield on foot.

The fight scenes were obviously pre- the great Yakima Canutt-choreographed battles, and the sound recording was almost primitive, certainly compared to what was to come.

But all together, with villains Leroy Mason and Jay Wilsey, here billed as Buffalo Bill Jr., this is a pretty good movie.

Besides, characters played by George (pre-"Gabby") Hayes and the lovely Lucile (billed as "Lucille") Brown side the hero, played by John Wayne, and they make a triumphant triumvirate.

Even this early in his career, John Wayne shows both personality and a great ability to express his thoughts and emotions, as well as the athletic ability to be one of the great action heroes of motion pictures. I do recommend this movie.

John Wayne rallies George "Gabby" Hayes and the other residents of Rainbow Valley against a gang of bandits who patrol the myriad roads out of town, stealing the fruits of the local gold mines and are now sabotaging the construction of a new main road.

Even though there isn't as much action in this as there is in other Wayne Lone Star productions, it's still a pleasant enough diversion with at least one great action sequence where Wayne and a dozen or so men with rifles route the bad guys, while Gabby chases them off in his horseless carriage, throwing sticks of nitro as they flee!

This time around, Wayne's stunt double and B-western nemesis, Yakima Canutt, is nowhere to be found. He must've went on vacation.

And with John Wayne and Gabby Hayes, what else could it be? For the time, and given that this IS one of those B movies churned out constantly by the various production companies, this thing is a hoot. Its fun for fans of the Duke, seeing him in such an early role. It has its elements of excitement and plot twists. It has its style of humor, fitting for the day. Its honestly well put together for the time. None of the other players are bad actors, and several are very good. The villains, Buffalo Bill Jr. ( aka Butch Galt ) and LeRoy Mason in particular, were both very fine actors and come across quite well in their roles. The plot? Its not complicated, but it makes for a good story. Fight scenes? Several. Just keep in mind that choreography was not then what it is now. When I watch something like this I try to put myself in the time during which the flick was made. That seems to put it into perspective and helps make it a lot more entertaining. If you can wrap your head around the era, recognize that churning out B movies doesn't necessarily mean poor quality as a standard, and be thankful that Wayne doesn't sing in this one ... Rainbow Valley? Well, pilgrim, it ain't a big valley, but it is a fun one.