Gunsmoke Trail

To refresh my memory, I looked this one up in the TV Feature Film Source Book. And how does their Synopsis run? Two words: "Action western." I'm afraid this wasn't my impression. "Little action western" would be far more accurate. As for the story, let's see: Bill Larson impersonates Moose Walters so he can swindle heiress Nola Walters, but his plans are upset by do-good hero Jack Lane. How's that? Although he had appeared in westerns before this one, it's claimed that Gunsmoke Trail was St John's introduction as the hero's sidekick, as role he was to play in many, many "B" westerns of the 1940s, supporting the likes of George Houston, Bob Livingston and Buster Crabbe.

This is a typical Newfield Monogram, obviously shot in haste and on the cheap. Corners are cut all over the place, though for a while there it looks like we'll be treated to an invigorating series of optical wipes. Alas, no such luck. After two or three goes, the editor tires of the device and we go back to the usual dull cross-cutting.

Hero Randall fulfills his chores amiably enough. The producer couldn't afford fight doubles, so Randall and Merton clumsily engage in their own scrapping. Yes, there's just enough action to satisfy the fans, though the long-awaited climax doesn't really amount to all that much in the way of excitement. Best action segment occurs quite early in the piece using the well-worn gimmick of the heroine trapped on a runaway buckboard. Lots of effective running inserts here with the wagon mounted on a speeding camera-car.

St John struggles with weak material, Miss Stanley makes an attractive if colorless heroine, Merton is his usual stolidly charmless heavy.