Shadows of Death

In this long in the tooth episode in Producers Releasing Corporation's Billy Carson series, Carson and sidekick Fuzzy Jones (this time working as a barber/justice of the peace) investigate the murder of a railroad man carrying secret plans for a railroad line.

Shadows Of Death is a great title but the film itself is just plain awful. There's lots of hair-cutting, talking, and hanging around but little action. Billy and Fuzzy's sleuthing is pretty yawn inducing this go around.

The best thing about this is the climactic fist fight at the end.

Charles King (who's always good) plays the fat cat villain for the umpteenth time. This guy seems to come back more than Freddy Krueger!

Watch some of Crabbe's earlier pictures instead.

It is unfortunate the previous reviewer was surprised that Larry "Buster" Crabbe made westerns. Crabbe portrayed a variety of roles during his long career ranging from Tarzan (Tarzan the Fearless serial) to Flash Gordon (serials), from cowboy Billy Carson to a French Foreign Legionaire ("Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion" TV series).

In 1940, Bob Steele was starring as PRC's 'Billy the Kid' (who, in these films, was a good guy wrongfully blamed for various misdeeds). But Steele received a better offer from Republic Pictures, where he would become one of the Three Mesquiteers.

To fill Steele's slot, PRC hired Buster Crabbe, and from 1941-1946, he would appear in three dozen western programmers, including the film reviewed here. The initial entries had Crabbe continuing the 'Billy the Kid' role, but his screen name was later changed to 'Billy Carson' (supposedly because of the negative connotation associated with 'Billy the Kid').

Crabbe's sidekick in all these range epics was Al 'Fuzzy' St. John, who had become entrenched as a cowboy saddle pal.

As with most westerns of the period, Crabbe's films were primarily shown at matinées in neighborhood theaters across the country with the largest part of the audience made up of children. This is why almost all the major cowboys had comic sidekicks. Character and plot development was largely absent. It was a non-discriminating audience that wanted action, a laugh or two, and for the good guy to beat the bad guy. The "B" western filled the bill.

This is a classic Saturday Matinee western with all the trappings of the era. Heroic cowboy, funny side-kick, henchmen, pretty girl and fist-a-cuffs galore- a typical good time in the local theater on Saturday afternoon.

The film was produced by PRC Pictures a famous 'skid-row' company that produced over 300 films in its short lifetime. And in this concept it made about sixteen films with Buster Crabbe and Al Fuzzy St John keeping the west safe- all over a three year period. That is some rushed production schedule.

There's really not much to this story that has not already been played out in many westerns. Crabbe, playing the white hat cowboy Billy Carson, is hired by a man to inspect the land where a new railroad would be built. But before Carson can get to the area, some thugs have killed the man and is now trying to buy up all the property before the railroad. Carson has to get evidence that the thugs are the one that killed the man and put a stop to their property take-over.

There is nothing really remarkable about the film as it played out as expected. Crabbe, who had already played cowboy star in the Billy-the-Kid serials, seemed a bit rough in this production. His acting was quite stiff and rehearsed in nearly every scene. But Crabbe, as always, was excellent in the fight scenes. Fuzzy St.John was his usual self by being the comic relief to every situation [laying it up for all its worth. And even if you did not like the story you have to agree that St.John was doing his best in a way that only he can perform.

Even with the less than desirable story-line, the film fulfilled its desired responsibility. It was cheaply made, provided some entertainment and ended with desired results. And yes, Crabbe's white hat never hit the ground in the ending fight scene. For a 'B' western that about all you can ask

Well, here's something I didn't know, aside from making laughable serials, Crabbe also made quite a number of westerns. Here, in the amazingly titled Shadows Of Death, Crabbe is presented as the "King of The Wild West" (??) and that he and his partner, affectionately (I'm sure) named Fuzzy (there's always a sidekick in these westerns that wind up with a stupid name) are presented as "Our Old Pals". Whatever you say Mr. Movie! Anyways, Crabbe arrives into town to help his friend Fuzzy with a suspicious individual who may or may not have murdered a courier with some important documents to widen a town. There's also a feeble love interest in there somewhere for good measure. All in all, this Western was certainly passable, it was certainly surprising to see Buster Crabbe in something else than Sci-Fi, and he actually looks comfortable in a cowboy hat. The plot is not bad, but I could have liked a little less stupid comedy from Fuzzy.

All in all, not bad.

Billy Carson is sent to Red Rock to make sure that land grabbers don't affect the railroad coming through the town. Landreau, who has just set up a gambling hall, is only in the town to get the main land rights that the railroad would pay top dollar for. Landreau sees Billy as his biggest obstacle, but sees a tool in Kincaid, who thinks Billy is interfering in his romance with ranch owner Babs Darcy. Billy and Fuzzy (the town's marshal, justice of the peace, and barber) go out to prove that Landreau and his gang killed the railroad agent and try to make sure that Kincaid doesn't get shot in the process. The film is the most basic of the railroad rights land grab plots and there is nothing special about this film, in fact the film is a bit slow at times especially when the scenes involve the Kincaid character and dilemma. Fuzzy saves the film as usual with his comic scenes at the barber shop. Watch it if you must, but you won't be punching your eyes out at the end. Rating, based on B westerns, 4.