Death Valley Gunfighter

Republic had access to the best cowboys and the best stunt men and to some of the best actors generally. And here that great studio also had one of the best -- although terribly under-rated -- directors, R.G. Springsteen.

And in Bob Williams they had a very skilled writer.

It all came together for an almost perfect movie.

Gail Davis never looked better, and she is very worth watching, not just for her looks, but for her expressions. Eddy Waller has one of his best roles, and he grabs hold with both hands. Prolific actor Jim Nolan shows, again, why he was so busy, and makes us wonder why he wasn't even busier.

The prolific Mauritz Hugo steals many of his scenes so we don't wonder at all why he kept busy, but, again, we wonder why he isn't even better known.

Writer Williams gives him some good scenes, and, as a good writer should, he allows many characters to speak and participate. There is both humor and action in this excellent Western.

I highly recommend "Death Valley Gunfighter," which can be found in an often too-dark print at YouTube.

Death Valley Gunfighter casts Allan 'Rocky' Lane as a town taming former sheriff sent for by young sheriff William Henry to find out who has been robbing and terrorizing Eddy Waller and Gail Davis's mercury mine. At one time three brothers including Davis's father owned the mine in partnership, but now only Waller and Davis remain.

As is explained in the opening title, mercury AKA quicksilver is used in the mining of gold and as such is valuable stuff on its own. That's why the bad guys want to get a hold of that mine. They can demand a percentage on gold mines that they sell the quicksilver to.

I have to call attention to Harry Harvey's performance as the town banker. It borrows quite a bit from Laird Cregar in This Gun For Hire. He's a milquetoast villain that detests violence, but ain't above a little embezzlement even from his partners.

Death Valley Gunfighter is one of the better Allan Lane films from Republic out there. Eddy Waller is at his most cantankerous and again Harry Harvey who usually is a good guy may have his career role on the big screen here.

Another enjoyable root-in-tootin' shoot em up this time fines Rocky Allan Lane up against thieves who want the silver lode mine, but finds the task an uphill struggle when the ones he's helping think he's not who he says he is and is on the side of the bad guys.