Riding Wild

One of the greatest silent film cowboys was the always heroic Colonel Tim McCoy. His career in talkies was never as big, but he was always one of the best ..... as can be seen here. A Range War breaks out between ranchers and "nesters", with McCoy stuck in the middle, undercover !

Tim McCoy was likable, yet tough and always owned the screen in any scene he appeared in. This film is actionful and a fairly realistic portrayal of range conflict.

Even folks not normally fans of 1930's films should enjoy this one........ Definitely recommended !

Produced by the budget-conscious western-making arm of Columbia Pictures in 1935, "Riding Wild" is technically quite polished, smoothly unfolded, and skillfully acted. There is really nothing bad to say about it. The running-wild title isn't accurate, however, in that both sides in the depicted range war actually ride with purpose and with design, so as not to dilute their respective causes through careless riding.

Clearly the effort was made to present the development and escalation of the dispute, including revealing the motivations that drive each side. This show is indeed about good and evil being at loggerheads!

The acting is first-rate, including, for example, Richard Alexander, who plays the hulking and not quite clear-thinking henchman -- the right hand action man to the ringleader. One can see in Alexander's expressions how he comes to realize and to only sometimes understand the predicaments he is in, the ideas he is hearing, and the motivations of his boss.

As nearly always, Tim McCoy is a smooth operator who conducts himself with assurance and with only the best interests at heart, even though the beneficiaries of his work do not always perceive his sterling intentions right away. His romance with Billie Seward is underplayed but nuanced when attended to.

"Riding Wild" is an excellent movie, and those who made it on all levels should have been proud. And a viewer can be proud to watch it, too!

When this story begins, a combined roundup occurs where all the local ranchers and their hands work together to bring their cattle to market. However, the foreman of one of the big ranches, Stevens, is intent on destroying the little ranchers....by any means necessary. Again and again during this roundup, various attempts are made to discredit the leader of the roundup, Tim (Tim McCoy) and ultimately Stevens' violence turns to murder. What chance do the small ranchers have against Stevens and the other bullies? Well, considering Tim is on their side, I'd say the small ranch owners will make it through it okay.

Unlike many prints of Tim McCoy films I've found on YouTube, this one has a nice, crisp priint....reason enough to recommend it. Add to that a film with a lot of action and suspense and you have one of McCoy's better B-westerns.