Dawn on the Great Divide

Seeing how well Republic had done with The Three Mesquiteer cowboy trio concept and that it had also worked for Paramount with Hopalong Cassidy, Monogram decided to form its own trio for low budget westerns, the Rough Riders. Not that there were any high budget films done at that studio.

The Rough Riders were originally Buck Jones, Raymond Hatton and Tim McCoy, all of whom started out on the silent screen. McCoy bowed out and Rex Bell took his place as a Rough Rider.

Sadly this B western for Monogram would prove to be the end of the trail for Buck Jones as he was tragically killed in the famous Cocoanut Grove Nightclub fire in Boston. Not much of an epitaph from the film industry for a great western star.

Town boss Harry Woods and chief henchman Roy Barcroft don't want the railroad coming in because too many settlers might just mean the end of having things their way. Barcroft has a nice little sideline as a white man who runs an outlaw band that attacks and massacres wagon trains to keep the settlement population down.

Of course with Jones and Hatton on the outside and Bell working on the inside things are soon put to rights. Jones even has time for a fling with Mona Barrie, a poker Alice type gambling lady.

Dawn of the Great Divide got butchered badly in the editing department, there's a lot more footage out there I'm sure. But we'll never see it, I doubt they'll be demand for a director's cut of a Monogram feature.

"Dawn On the Great Divide" was to be another entry in Monogram's popular Rough Rider series which had starred Buck Jones, Tim McCoy and Raymond Hatton. At that time McCoy was called into active service in WWII and he was replaced by Rex Bell who had starred in a couple of poverty row series in the early 30s. Jones and Hatton continued to play the same characters namely Buck Roberts and Sandy Hopkins respectively. Bell, who was no McCoy, played Jack Carson the third member of the trio.

The story (which appears to have a larger budget than usual) has Jones and Hatton guiding a wagon train of settlers and railroad supplies across the plains. Meanwhile Jim Corkle (Harry Woods) and his gang have been raiding the wagon trains disguised as Indians, to protect their interest in the town of Beaver Lake. Bell is working under cover within Wood's organization. Naturally, good triumphs over evil in the finale.

Unfortunately, this would be the last of the Rough Rider series as Buck Jones would die tragically in a fire in Boston in November, 1942 before this film was released. It was however, a better than average film for him to end his illustrious career, that had dated back to the early days of silent films.

The picture is also blessed with a great cast of familiar supporting players. Mona Barrie plays Sadie, the gambling lady, and Christine McIntyre plays Mary the good heroine who gets to sing a couple of songs. Roy Barcroft who was just coming into his own, has the honor of being the last villain that Jones ever gunned down. Others in Woods' gang include Robert Frazer, Bud Osborne, I. Stanford Jolley and Dennis Moore. Robert Lowery and Tris Coffin appear in other roles.

Rex Bell was more famous for being married to silent film "It" girl Clara Bow. Except for a couple of insignificant minor parts, this would also be his final film. Bell would go on to become the Lieutenant-Governor of Nevada in the late 50s.

I have to admit that I had a lump in my throat as I watched old favorite Buck Jones ride off into the sunset for the last time.

This is Buck Jones' last film. Sadly, the guy would die soon after this in a fire--along with a lot of other innocent folks. While it's not among his best films, it is a solid B movie and a decent way for him to end his career.

The film does NOT start off well. It has many moments where folks give long expositions instead of talking naturally or allowing things to happen normally. Often, folks just start talking to their friends--giving them back story that the friend SHOULD already know but which is provided for the audience. It's very unnatural and is a case of bad writing. Fortunately, the rest of the film is a bit better. The plot is the standard greedy baddie who wants to destroy and steal-- all hiding in the guise of his men dressed up as American Indians.

So why did I still give this one a 5? Well, there are more than the usual number of scenes which are sentimental and show character development. Plus, the story has a few nice moments. Worth seeing if you are a Buck Jones fan.

It's Buck Jones' last film, which is sad, but he is supported by some of the greatest western players in a Monogram film, with a bigger budget than many of the other B westerns of the era.

Besides the superb cast, the editing is by the great Carl Pierson, who was himself a director of skill, no doubt because of his editing experience.

Mack Wright, a director of note himself, was assistant director on "Dawn," with Howard Bretherton the director.

There is even a really pleasant music score, better than so many low-budget westerns, which sometimes even had no, or almost no, music. Edward Kay, of whom I know nothing else, was the music director.

Whatever flaws "Dawn" might have, any film -- ANY film -- with such actors as Chief Yowlatchie, Art Mix, Bud Osborne, Reed Howes, and so many more really talented performers, all appearing with no credit, has to be recognized as an excellent western.

That it was the last time for Buck Jones, well, that is just too much to pass up. I highly recommend this movie, for that and other reasons.

This couldn't have been a better swan song for western great Buck Jones. Dawn is a great story with a magnificent cast. While Rough Rider Tim McCoy is doing his patriotic duty in WWII, Rex Bell is filling is nicely as the undercover agent posing as the town gambler. Beaver Lake is run by Hollywood's favorite villain Harry Woods and his brother Judge John Corkle (Robert Frazer) is on the wagon train coming to solidify the crime cartel. Of course Raymond Hatton as Sandy Hopkins as the best sidekick ever gives Buck and Rex all the help they can hope for. Matinee idol Betty Blythe shows why she was so popular with a great performance as the judgmental busy body Elmira Corkle. A well written story with plenty of drama and action with a who's who of henchmen and stuntmen.