Pioneiro da Lei

In the 1930s, Richard Dix was a heck of an actor. While far from handsome, he was rugged and very dependable---a sort of 'anti- Hollywood' type. I love most of his films, and that's why I had to see this film when it came on Turner Classic Movies. Was I disappointed? Read on...

Clay (Dix) arrives in a town to see his brother. He also sees that the place is out of control and lawless and so he takes it upon himself to pick up the sheriff badge and put an end to all this killing. The problem is that the baddies LIKE all the killing and their evil boss-man (Louis Calhern) is going to do anything he can to keep it going. Another problem is that Clay's brother has a girl...and she's falling head over heels for Clay!

The plot for this one is relatively familiar, so the film gets no point for originality. Likewise, when the girl falls for Clay, the viewer isn't the least bit surprised what eventually happens to the brother!! Still, the film is well made--much better than average. Plus Dix and Calhern were exceptional...making this film well worth your while.

This is a damn good western from the mid-thirties, and it features two or filmdom's more rugged players, Richard Dix and Preston Foster, in leading roles. There's a natural masculinity both in the movie itself and its stars that many films strive for and few achieve. A good number of fights pepper the film as well. I cannot say that the plot is unique or memorable, but the presentation is. Hungarian-born Charles Vidor directed vigorously. Also of note are a couple of black characters in fairly unstereotyped roles, and the woman does something near the end of the film that will knock your socks off.

This obvious attempt by RKO to duplicate the success of "Cimarron" (1930) actually succeeds, despite all the odds against it. The budget is only half for a start (and so is the running time) but it's still very lavishly produced. Secondly, heroine Margot Grahame is certainly no Irene Dunne, but she's a very capable and highly sympathetic player nonetheless. Thirdly, the movie lacks an epic stampede but it still manages some really vigorous action sequences including a knock-out climax which has echoes of the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Actor Richard Dix's manly presence is just right for the Wyatt Earp character, while Louis Calhern plays the slimy villain with all the fascination of an utterly vicious yet superficially elegant snake. Preston Foster was always better at the badman-turned-goodie (or vice versa) type of role and is in his element here. The support players include such dyed-in-the-wool villains as Joe Sawyer and even Marc Lawrence, whilst that perennial soak, Francis Ford, is all nicely dressed up here and hardly recognizable as the well-groomed mayor. Etta McDaniel also gets a chance to shine. Director Vidor handles the film's many action scenes with a bold and vigorous hand that will have even the most jaded western fans cheering.

Blonde singer-dancer Margot Grahame (as Kitty Rivers) leaves the western town "Silver City" to escape the clutches of corrupt sheriff Louis Calhern (as Jake Mannen). She must leave boyfriend James Bush (as Orin Tallant) behind, but he's too timid to fret about. On the way out of town, Ms. Grahame's coach is held up by Mr. Calhern's thugs. Fortunately, they are stopped by big, brave Richard Dix (as Clay Tallant) who is going to see his brother in "Silver City". Grahame is so impressed with Mr. Dix' manliness, she decides to join him. Everyone is impressed with Dix and he is appointed marshal. Dix hopes to clean up the town, but Preston Foster (as Tex Randolph) stares him down...

In one of the story's most memorable scenes, Mr. Foster buys a round of drinks and throws them in a line of faces. Foster has the most interesting part. Dix and the others are fairly routine. If you're looking for racial stereotypes, you might be interested in the dotingly slavish Etta McDaniel (as Sarah) and her "pussy footin'" dumb boyfriend Willie Best (as Pompey). In a story written by Dudley Nichols, director Charles Vidor is especially adept with the cast and crew on RKO's western street set/facade. The studio may have been thinking "The Arizonian" would be another "Virginian". They get no cigar, but gravelly-voiced Ray Mayer (as Frank McClosky) is a good western Eugene Palette.

***** The Arizonian (1935-06-28) Charles Vidor ~ Richard Dix, Margot Grahame, Preston Foster, Louis Calhern

Sure, it has all your typical elements of a Western: town with a big bad boss, hero who rides in from the horizon, the reluctant sheriff, stagecoach robberies, themes of guns vs. the rule of law. So at first you think this is going to be the kind of Western that John Wayne languished in between 1930's "Big Trail" and 1939's "Stagecoach", but it is more than that, even minus John Wayne. This has some things which distinguish it. The dialog is well done. It's direct, spare, understated, and, when it needs to be, hard. Richard Dix is especially good in this kind of environment. It also has some crisp direction by Charles Vidor, best known, I suppose, for Gilda, who makes the conventional final shoot-out thoroughly unconventional. The movie stumbles worst with the inclusion of a love triangle between the hero, his brother, and the woman between them. All the people die who are supposed to, though sometimes in a surprising way, and the West is made safe for civilized people. Good support from Margot Grahame, and Preston Foster.