Red Blood of Courage

This film features Kermit Maynard at his best. Kermit had a far better personality than brother Ken . He was 'likeable ' , but did not have the the 'star' look . He was far more imaginative in his stunts and riding than Ken . Each of Kermits films demonstrate that fact as can be seen in this film . This entire series has to rank as one of the better B-western series in the 30's . This is quite a feat considering the studio .A big drawback was most of his films were Mountie films and the public was not that much into Mounties.

Ann Sheridan is in an early role in her career . She still is getting used to the camera as seen in various close-ups , but no question that a star is in the making . The 'cheapness' of the production centers in the fact that most of the story takes place in a cabin and has a lot of chases . Still this is an enjoyable little film with some of the plot variations that 'indies ' were more prone to do than the 'cookie-cutter' formulas of the major B-western studios.They always had good germs of plots that could have been more well developed with a bigger budget.

Programmer western of the type churned out to fill the bottom of a double bill is ordinary in every way with some awful acting by Kermit Maynard and several of the supporting actors. This was an extremely early movie in Ann Sheridan's career and one of the first times she received credit on screen as Ann rather than Clara Lou Sheridan. On loan from Paramount during her brief time there before moving on to the a much more productive tenure at Warner's she's fresh and relaxed but the star making machinery hadn't started turning yet and she looks very rustic.

The plot such as it is has been done in westerns a million times so the only real interest in catching this short feature is if you're a Sheridan completist.

Ann Sheridan in one of her early roles is visiting her uncle and gets caught up in attempt by the bad guys to take her uncle's land. She and Kermit Maynard attempt to save the day. The film is only 55 minutes long and worth watching as a good example of the old B Westerns.

Kermit Maynard and so many B picture cowboys did not get leading ladies from Hollywood's A list. But Maynard did so here albeit Ann Sheridan would get there in two years after Warner Brothers picked up her contract.

The Red Blood Of Courage is set in the great northwest of Canada and Maynard plays a mysterious stranger asking about a man reputed last seen in this vicinity.

That curiosity gets him shot at by folks who presumably had a hand in the disappearance of the guy he's inquiring after. But Maynard also runs into young Ann Sheridan who has been sent for by Reginald Barlow her uncle whom she hasn't seen in over a decade and he seems real anxious to get her hitched to Ben Hendricks who's a roughneck sort and works for Barlow. That prospect doesn't appeal to Ann who figures she can do a lot better. Remember this is the future Oomph Girl we're talking about.

I won't say more other than Sheridan who's a perfect Little Nell type heroine has some nasty schemes built around her marrying this slimeball.

There's a bit more plot involved here and sadly a lot of the film has been cut and you have to fill in the gaps. The film was shot outdoors with Big Bear Lake serving as the Canadian Northwest. I've noted that several B westerns seem to have been filmed here, it will look familiar to you if you've seen others.

A bit better than what you normally get from poverty row outfits like Ambassador Pictures which produced The Red Blood Of Courage. Still the editing is from hunger.

Oddball cowboy programmer set in modern times, but with plenty hard-riding, fast-shooting, and forrest scenery. Plot's pretty complicated and at times hard to follow, but maybe that's just geezer me. Seems old guy Henry has rich, undeveloped land that a gang wants, but to get it they have to first get rid of him then marry his daughter to one of them (and what a bunch of ugly guys they are!). Meanwhile, stranger Maynard shows up and wants to join gang. But does he fit in. So what's gonna happen. Anyway, events may be crowded for the short run-time, but they're seldom predictable with only a few cowboy flick cliches. So you might give the 55-minutes a try.

(In passing - that's A-list actress Ann Sheridan as daughter Elizabeth, then on her way up the Hollywood ladder as the Oomph Girl though you'd never guess it from her virginal presence here. Then too, there's cowboy Maynard who taught me a whole new way of 'dotting an I'.)