Code of the Cactus

Tim McCoy as "Lightening" Bill Carson poses as a Mexican rustler in order to catch the leader of a gang of rustlers. The leader Blackton (Forrest Taylor) has submitted the low beef bid to the army – the thing is he can't provide the beef for as low as he bid without stealing the cattle. The setting is contemporary and the rustlers use trucks to haul off the cattle. This is the second McCoy movie that I have seen where he disguises himself as a Mexican. Again, he pulls it off. It's funny but when McCoy is in disguise his personality shines – he smiles more, laughs more and is more animated with fewer of the steely eyed stares. He still never aims his gun when he shoots though. As much as I enjoyed this movie it did not have as interesting a supporting cast as other McCoys I've seen. Dave O'Brien was okay but to me, nothing special. Nonetheless, this is a B Western to be on the lookout for as it is highly entertaining.

Is Tim McCoy 'Lightning' Bill Carson or undercover as Miguel? Popular mainstay villain and lead henchman Ted Adams tries to figure this mystery out before it's too late. Real life rodeo champion and Roman Rider, Ben Corbett needs the help of Lightning to protect his herd. His daughter Dorothy Short is being courted by Dave O'Brien. It works well because in real life they are married. Accomplished stage and silent actor, Forrest Taylor tries to put the kibosh on the whole thing in dramatic fashion. Even though he had a limited part, it was great to see the most prolific B western bad guy Slim Whitaker be on the right side of the law for a change. Great acting, real cowboys, and good humor make Code of the Cactus a most memorable film.

How could they not have called this movie Truck Rustlers!? In fact, what does Code of the Cactus even mean? Do cactuses communicate in code, or do they have a secret code of honour or something? This amiable programmer from Tim McCoy certainly sheds no light on the matter. With his mad staring eyes swiveling scarily between a 10 gallon hat and a comedy 'tache, McCoy makes a likeable but unlikely Mexican. His dialogue is pretty funny at times, but the story is tat, even if it does feature... Truck Rustlers! Yeah... raked forward with an exclamation mark.

A poverty row outfit called Victory Pictures brings us Code Of The Cactus which true B western tradition has a title with nothing whatsoever to do with the film. Bette Davis in The Bride Came COD did more with cactus than this film did.

Code Of The Cactus is a modern day western where as they say cattle rustling has gone comparatively modern with the rustlers using trucks to take their stolen cattle. You have to keep up with the times, but the people in the west have the same code to deal with varmints caught rustling, string them up with out a trial.

Despite these draconian threats the rustlers operate with impunity so Tim McCoy better known as Lightnin' Bill Carson comes to the rescue. He's got a draw faster than Gene Wilder's in Blazing Saddles and McCoy handles the part the same way, very tongue in cheek.

But what really raises this horse opera a notch or two above the run of the mill ones is McCoy's droll way with this part as he uses a disguise as a Mexican fast draw artist and amiable thief. I think he might have studied Gilbert Roland in how to play the role.

Check this one out for sure, you won't be disappointed.

I hate to be a dissenting voice, but at best this is a mediocre oater or should I say ten-wheeler. Director Newfield appears unconcerned with the staging-- for example, O'Brien's wounded in one shot and fully recovered in the next, then there's the awkward opening sequence that fails to plausibly combine the sequences. As a former front-row kid, my enjoyment of these matinees doesn't depend on their logic, but I hate to have my nose rubbed in it.

McCoy plays an eye-rolling Mexican hero with some amusing pidgin Spanish like "You'll see me later" instead of "Adios". He goes undercover in order to break up a rustling ring and find out who's in charge. At the same time, there's quite a bit of hard riding that doesn't always make sense. On the other hand, the freight truck rustlers amounts to a dramatic and novel idea that carries the hour. There's also a lot of fast shooting. Too bad, however, so few gunslingers seem to aim, especially Carson, who looks like he's "throwing" his gun and bullets instead of aiming, (thanks Newfield).

Too bad we don't see more of O'Brien and especially his then wife, the lovely Dorothy Short-- after all the ugly guys, we need a girl break. Anyway, except for the truck angle and Art Davis's delightful way with a western song, it's a forgettable oater.