Law of the Canyon

Charles Starrett stars in this standard Durango Kid western -- but the standard is pretty high, as usual. A gang is holding up people bringing in goods and then ransoming them back, so Starrett is ordered to investigate -- and brings the Kid along.

The picture is eked out with the usual bits, including Smiley Burnette and a western band. Here it's the Lone Star Cowboys and they have a habit of setting up their instruments in the middle of the street and singing a song, where Smiley is sitting, working on his silver detection machine. The camera work is by George Kelley and as usual in the series, quite lovely, with several group portrait shots and a nice interior moving shot when future director Fred Sears is conferring with people.

This isn't a movie I would show to some one for an introduction to B Westerns, but if you've the taste for them, you'll have a fine time.

There's a hint of Mark of Zorro ( Tyrone power film) with Charles Starrett going undercover as a dude inexperienced to the ways of the west and would rather not get his hands dirty fighting the bad guys, in this case being a gang who steal goods, then ransom them back to the victim for a high price. Despite him being a victim of this crime, he just wants the sheriff to handle it but the sheriff is sick. Quite convenient for the bad 'uns. Energetic entry, which has the usual toe-tapping songs, though there's a few too many, however it doesn't distract too much from the plot. If anything it works as an intermission. Smiley Burnette is his usual comic self, and the pretty Nancy Saunders is a strong, no-nonsense character. The action is fast and vigorous.