Arizona Bushwhackers

This is one of a string of cheap westerns ground out by producer A.C. Lyles in the mid- to late '60s. The only thing they were notable for was that they gave work to faded stars who were otherwise unemployable. Everything about these films was second-rate--the stories were recycled (most of them were written by the same man, Steve Fisher), the photography was usually washed out and at times unsteady (Lyles was not a believer in shooting more than one take) and they looked rushed, which is what they were--they were usually shot in two weeks or less. This one is no different. The only advantage it has over Lyles' other pictures is that the beginning of it is narrated by none other than James Cagney, who did it as a favor to Lyles, a longtime friend. Other than that, this film has absolutely nothing going for it. It's tough to swallow even for diehard western fans like myself. Avoid it.

Actually, wearing a blindfold during a sitting for this movie seems like a pretty good idea given how lifeless it is. When you see it's produced by A.C. Lyles then realistic expectations are needed, his low budget Westerns grabbed the aged coat tails of a genre that had moved onto a different plain than the one Lyles now traversed. Lyles was astute enough to fill out these Oaters with names familiar to genre fans, regardless of the advent of time or box office appeal, so some interest in the said picture was there from the off.

Some of these Westerns rose above their budget limitations to be better than average, the likes of Johnny Reno, Waco and Stage to Thunder Rock, while not essential Western viewings, are good time wasters for the undemanding fan. The trouble with Arizona Bushwhackers is that it promises so much more than it can ever deliver. Proudly it tells us that it's in Technicolor and Techniscope, and it stars Howard Keel, Yvonne De Carlo, John Ireland, Marilyn Maxwell, Scott Brady, Brian Donlevy, Barton MacLane and James Craig. Hell! The opening narration is even by one James Cagney. And with a plot involving spies and gun runners in the town of Colton, where Union and Confederate operatives dwell, it's all in place for some solid "B" entertainment. Unfortunately it's a lame duck once Caggers has finished his narration.

Story limps on as the various citizens of Colton potter around wondering about who is trustworthy? Who will get caught out? Who will survive? And isn't it about time the Indians showed up? The actors, bless em', give it a good go, shuffling about in some sort of one- take wonderland, while director Lesley Selander tries hard to beef up the plot with the odd action scene; including a fight between two one armed men that I'm pretty sure isn't meant to be funny. It all builds to a hopelessly weak finale where the Indians do indeed turn up and they file in for cannon fodder duties. The colour photography is washed out, the scenic locations barely realised, and the musical score is 101 rank and file. Lifeless all told and only fans of the fading stars should seek this out so as to tick off of their completist lists. 3/10

This is the second of Howard Keel's westerns for producer A.C. Lyles that I've seen in the last several days and the fourth of Lyles during that same period. They've all been pretty enjoyable for the conventional oaters they are in the compact 90 or so minutes they run for. Among other players from previous of Lyles' pictures are: Marilyn Maxwell, Scott Brady, Brian Donlevy, John Ireland. Also, Yvonne De Carlo is the leading lady here. Keel is a rebel (Southern) turned Union soldier who becomes the new sheriff. But one doesn't know which side he's on until the middle portion. Anyway, there's also the appearance of one Roy Rogers, Jr., who shouldn't be hard to recognize especially since his character's name is Roy. Oh, and as one would expect in these oaters, Indians are also portrayed as savages though once they start moaning in pain, one by one, I couldn't help laughing since they sound soooo unconvincing! One more thing, since Ms. Maxwell's character is from New Orleans-which is a two-hour drive from where I currently live-I couldn't help but think that just three days before, when our house was out of power during Hurricane Issac, I relistened-for perhaps the upteenth time-to a cassette of her on "The Abbott & Costello Show" originally from the radio days of the '40s and she was singing "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?" during what the announcer referred to was New Orleans Jazz Week. Incidentally, this particular ep had the comedy duo performing "Who's on First?" since this was also the week Joe DiMaggio was recuperating in bed. Okay, so in summary Arizona Bushwackers was another of these old-fashioned westerns that I managed to enjoy for the entertaining yarns they are. P.S. James Cagney did the beginning narration for his old friend Lyles who produced the only picture Cagney directed: Short Cut to Hell.

Arizona Bushwhackers (1968)

** (out of 4)

Set during the Civil War, Lee Travis (Howard Keel) is a Confederate soldier who is released from a Union prison so that he can head to Arizona and become the new Sheriff to a small town that is controlled by Union supporters.

There's a lot of dialogue in the film that expands on the plot description I just gave but that's the basic plot to this film, which just seems too old-fashioned for its own good. The film was released in 1968 yet it seems like it should have been made thirty-years earlier but producer A.C. Lyles was attempting to make a Western that would appeal to an older crowd. The Italian Spaghetti Westerns had taken over so here was a throwback and that's also shown with the older cast.

Not only do you have Keel here but there's also Yvonne DeCarlo, James Craig, Barton MacLane and John Ireland. Obviously this film was meant to be a throwback to older Westerns but the problem is that there's just nothing interesting going on here. The characters are all boring. The story isn't anything to brag about. Then you've got to wonder why the producer would think this story would want to be seen by anyone in 1968.

Not only is the film very slow but it's just downright boring to the point where even the cast can't save it. The actors are all game for what they're asked to do but they just can't bring any energy to the material. You've even got narration from James Cagney to start things off but this turns out to be rather worthless as well.

Despite several reviews, that state, that Richard Arlen is not, in this movie, he appears, unbilled, in a quick scene, as a banker exiting his bank. This was archive footage, from another A.C. Lyles western, that was used, to fulfill a promise, that Lyles made, to Arlen, about 40 years, previously. In the late 1920's, Lyles was an office boy, at Paramount, where Arlen was a star, who befriended him. He told Arlen, that if he ever became a producer, he would put Arlen, in every one, of his films. This was a promise, that he fulfilled, even if it was only a picture, of him, on a mantlepiece, of a brief clip, such as, in this film.