Desert Gold

"Desert Gold" was another in the series of well produced 60 minute (or less) Zane Grey adaptations that Paramount turned out in the 1930s. Although there are considered "B" films, they had bigger budgets, better production values and a vast store of stock footage to set them above the average "B" western.

The story starts out with Maya (Buster Crabbe) being made chief of the local Indian tribe. It seems that there is a hidden gold mine on Indian grounds and villain Chet Kasedon (Monte Blue) is after it. Kasedon has sent for mining engineer Randolph Gale (Tom Keene) to help him find the mine.

Aboard the stagecoach with Gale are the comely young Judith Belding (Marsha Hunt) who, as it turns out is engaged to marry Kasedon. Travelling with Gale is his assistant, now get this, Fordyce Mortimer (Robert Cummings in an early role) and Judith's father Doc Belding, the town doctor.

At first Gale is unaware of Kasedon's misdeeds but when he finds him whipping Maya to make him talk, he promptly switches sides and pursues Judith on the side.

It's fun to watch these old films and see up and coming players in early roles. Cummings though a little over the top is nonetheless hilarious as the comic relief. Marsha Hunt was never prettier as the heroine. Keene does a creditable job as the hero. Its interesting to note that when RKO revived the Zane Grey series in the mid 40s, Keene, who had by then re-invented himself as Richard Powers, played the villain in a couple of installments.

Watch for Leif (billed as "Glenn") Erikson as Kasedon's brother and Si Jenks in a hilarious bit as the stagecoach driver. Veteran heavy Walter Miller also appears as (what else?) one of the bag guys.

Pleasant little film with great outdoor photography.

Randolph (Tom Keene) and Ford (Robert Cummings) are mining engineers who have been brought out West to work for Mr. Kasedon (Monte Blue). However, it turns out Kasedon is a real scum-bag and the two men see him whipping an innocent Indian (Buster Crabbe) to try to force him to tell where there is a hidden gold mine. The pair naturally quit but Kasedon is not that easy to say no to--and Kasedon is determined that their disobedience will not go unpunished. At the same time, a nice lady (Marsha Hunt) is engaged to Kasedon but doesn't realize what she's in for with this evil galoot. Can niceness triumph over evil? What do you think?!

This isn't a bad film as far as its story idea goes but it suffers from one huge problem in particular. Robert Cummings wasn't yet an established actor and here he is given a totally thankless role as the new village idiot! Now considering he's supposed to be a mining engineer, his complete lack of two working brain cells really makes no sense. Plus his character was just too broadly written and acted--making many of his time on screen a serious chore to watch. As a result, the overall film is severely impacted and lacks charm. Too bad, as a Zane Grey story deserved better--especially since it dared to show white guys fighting for the rights of the natives and so it WAS pretty good aside from this god-awful character.

Chet Kasedon is after the Indians hidden gold mine but Chief Moya will not reveal it's location. He has also hired mining engineers Gale and Mortimer to locate the mine. When Gale sees Kasedon's cruelty to Moya, he switches sides.

Desert Gold is a thoroughly enjoyable western which is heavy on humour, mainly from the sidekick who has a toothache all the time and has problems of differentiating a dangerous snake from a harmless one. Buster Crabbe plays a Native American and he does well- he looks imposing with his stature and tan. Marsha Hunt is cute but the leading man is a little forceful in his intentions on her, not exactly respecting that she's engaged - ok, her fiancée is the villain. Still, the hero's approach is annoying. He is quite bossy towards her, snapping out orders and force feeding her. However, it moves briskly and has some decent action and an involving plot. The finale is quite exciting.

Western fans, especially John Wayne fans, remember in Chisum when newly arrived storekeeper Andrew Prine after seeing Forrest Tucker's business methods changes his mind and goes to work for Wayne. The premise for the whole plot of the Zane Grey story Desert Gold is just about the same.

Tom Keene and tenderfoot sidekick Robert Cummings come out west and take one look at Monte Blue's methods and decide not to work for him. Coming west on the same stage is Marsha Hunt who is to marry Blue. Of course she starts to have some second thoughts as well.

Keene and Cummings are mining engineers and what Blue is after is a secret mine that the local Indians have access to. What they witness is Indian chief Buster Crabbe tied to a post and being whipped by Blue to divulge the location of his mine. I don't think I have to mention any more.

In that series of Zane Grey stories that Paramount filmed in the Thirties this one is one of the best. It's got plenty of western gunplay to satisfy any fan of the genre. And it is one of the first roles of substance for Robert Cummings.

Television fans remember Cummings for his Love That Bob show from the Fifties, a TV Land classic. Some of the comic timing is plainly evident in his sidekick role. And that's unique too. Sidekicks are usually the salty oldtimers. But Cummings has some very funny moments as the fish out of water tenderfoot in the old west. He shoots at a gopher snake and misses because he mistakes him for a rattlesnake. After getting a lecture by Keane about gopher snakes he nearly gets himself killed by a real rattler. Of course Cummings is of little help in that final gun battle with the bad guys. When he thinks he's wounded, that's another funny moment.

Zane Grey aficionados should have little to complain about this one.

One of the zane grey westerns. Kasedon and gale are trying to locate the hidden gold mine, which is rightfully owned by the first americans. Buster crabbe is chief moya, who has been protecting the mine for many years. For the first fifteen minutes, we're watching tenderfoot mortimer deal with his tooth-ache. That's robert cummings, in one of his earliest credited roles. Monte blue, a western regular as kasedon. The usual galloping horses, gun shoot-outs. Some comedy, as mortimer shows just what a rookie he is in the desert. It's okay. Clearly a low budget B film for paramount. Seems to have been filmed mostly at the iverson ranch. With some great, stock footage shown in the opening credits. Lots of film backdrops used in here! It's pretty good. Directed by james hogan.