Across the Plains

This is by far one of the better films Randall made . The locations are better than usual being done in the Lone Pine area . The script is far above average for the continuity . The story actually flows although the subplot of Randall and Moore being brothers takes the center stage . But this is unusual for a Monogram programmer . I was impressed by story ,continuity ,scenery and even acting . Randall was more subdued and especially Yaconelli . He can be a real pain as noted in the Tom Keene series .

Tansy was in charge of this film as well as 'The Song of Old Wyoming '. He wrote the script for this film and directed ' Song of Old Wyoming ' You can see without too much thought that this film was the genesis for " Song of Old Wyoming " and why. Buckskin ( Hal Price ) becomes Uncle Ezra ( Emmett Lynn ) . Both teach the kid how to carve a doll which reveals their true identity . The Kansas Kid ( Dennis Moore ) becomes The Cheyenne Kid ( Lash LaRue).

Randall's interest in Joyce Bryant has a little play which the ending reveals he is satisfied that justice has been satisfied . Moore had no interest in her . If you want to see Randall at his best , this is the one for you

This is the first Jack Randall western I've seen, and I must say I'm impressed. You learn not to expect too much from a Monogram picture--and that's usually what you get--but this one is different. Randall had an easy-going manner and wasn't a bad actor at all. He was a good rider and handled action well. In this above-average Monogram oater, he's a trail scout named Cherokee who was adopted by Indians as a child after his parents were killed by a bandit gang in an attack on a wagon train. His little brother (Dennis Moore) was taken by the bandits and raised as one of them, and they told him it was Indians who had killed his parents. Years later the two brothers run into each other but don't know they're brothers. Director Spencer Gordon Bennet keeps things moving swiftly, and there's some really good use made of locations at Lone Pine, California, that give the picture a very sweeping and expensive look, something you don't often see in your run-of-the-mill "B" western. Addison carries the picture well, Moore has a meatier role than he often got and does well with it, Joyce Bryant is pretty to look at, veterans Bud Osborne and Glenn Strange are around for authenticity, and there's a good gun battle at the end with somewhat of an ingenious little twist. All in all, a very pleasant and pleasing little B from Monogram. Check it out.

Jack Randall probably could have become a bigger star, judging by his performance here, if he had had more experience and more exposure.

His director in "Across the Plains" was one of the all-time greats, Spencer Gordon Bennett, who did some wonderful work as far back as the silent days.

I remember watching a serial at the lamented Silent Movie Theatre on Fairfax in Los Angeles and just marveling at the attention to detail Bennett paid. I sat in absolute awe then and at his later pictures.

Bennett, Randall, and the cast had a good story, one that got used in many variations and by many production companies, but the low budget got in the way.

For example, the fight scenes were really lame. No Yakima Canutt or David Sharpe was present to get that wild action that highlighted, for example, John Wayne and Republic pictures battles.

But there were superior players to make up for those lacks. Frank Yaconelli was one of the best "Mexicans" Hollywood ever had, and Joyce Bryant was lovely, although she didn't get to do much besides look good.

Dennis Moore has always impressed me, partly because of his great voice, but he's usually more than adequate in even the small roles he had. He too is someone I think should have become a star.

Glenn Strange is always good to see, and he had a different role here, a somewhat understated good guy. Remember Glenn Strange was so often so evil, why, once he even shot Charlie King in the back! Now that's low.

Bud Osborne got a meaty part, and, as usual, he handled it beautifully. He was always dependable and frequently a better actor than others in whatever cast he was in.

"Across the Plains" is available on Westerns on the Web, one of the greatest innovations since Algore invented the Internet. I recommend it, even though it's not the greatest western I've seen, not even seen this week. But it was my first chance to see Jack Randall, and now I'm going to look for more of his films.

Jack Randall and Dennis Moore play the Winters brothers in Across The Plains. The problem for both of them is that they don't know they're brothers until the very end of the film.

The reason being is that they were separated as kids during an attack on the wagon train. The outlaws who did the deed took the child who grew up to be Moore and raised him. Of course they told the kid it was Indians who killed his parents.

Real Indians found the older kid who grew up to be Randall and raised him as they're own, in fact he now goes by the nickname of Cherokee. Odd though since they're in Apache country.

But despite those little faux pas, Across The Plains is not a bad western. Randall grows up to be a trail scout and Moore an outlaw. If you've watched a gazillion B westerns, I think you know how this will end, especially with both being interested in the same girl played by Joyce Bryant.

I'm sure this Monogram B played well for the Saturday afternoon kid trade back in the day.