A Lawman Is Born

A Lawman Is Born which stars Johnny Mack Brown was one of those features I wish had been done by a major studio. It has the makings of a classic and could have been with a more extensive script and better production facilities.

The idea is an interesting one. Cowboy hero Johnny Mack Brown is of all things a store clerk working for Al St. John usually a sidekick character actor. But he's got a past, he's wanted for murder in another part of the country and he's living quiet and peaceable. A hard thing to do since there's yet another western range war brewing in his area.

Sheriff Earl Hodgins knows who Brown is and since he's been a good citizen in his area, he keeps the secret. He even asks for Brown's help in stopping the range war. But Hodgins is later gunned down in the street and Brown at the urging of Hodgins's sister Mary McLaren takes his place.

The unusual twists on what is normally a standard range war western plot are what make A Lawman Is Born one of Johnny Mack Brown's more interesting B westerns.

Just before I sat down to write this review, I read through the featured review here on IMDb. Bkoganbing pretty much nailed it--explaining the plot and summing up the film. In fact, I suggest you just read their review--I haven't got much more to say....though I'll try.

This is a Johnny Mack Brown film and I generally enjoy his films because his B-westerns lack the frills and singing you'd usually find in one of these quickly maid films. Just like Tim McCoy, the film is simple and to the point and works because the hero isn't some pretty singing cowboy. While I enjoy an occasional Roy Rogers or Gene Autry film, realism is NOT a strong point in their films.

The film begins with Brown being an upright citizen in his town. Oddly, however, instead of being a cowboy or gunman, he's a clerk in a store owned by Al St. John (a frequent sidekick in westerns). But, when the sheriff is killed and a range war appears ready to erupt, Brown puts on the badge and aims to keep the peace--even though he harbors a dark secret. What is it and how it all works out, you'll have to see for yourself.

Overall, this is a very competently made film. It takes a VERY familiar plot and manages to breath some life into it. Well done and worth seeing.

Harry Olmstead is credited with the story, and George Plympton's part in the writing is not explained, but the script for "A Lawman Is Born" seems to bear a lot of the Plympton touch.

There are unusual touches and twists making this B Western several notches above the average, with some of the twists making the viewer wonder just who is the bad guy, and just how good is the good guy.

Sam Newfield outdoes himself with the characterizations of his players, and watching the byplay between and among them is impressive.

Johnny Mack Brown was simply one of the most likable performers, in Westerns or anything else, and as the store clerk pressured to do something about the pending violence, he scores again.

Earl Hodgins gets another chance to be something other than the barker type he did so often, and as usual does it well. He was a very capable actor.

Mary McLaren played the sister of the sheriff, and she nearly stole the whole movie. She has 173 credits here at IMDb, including some classics.

Warner Richmond and Charles King are backed by Dick Curtis, and they make an extraordinary team.

All cast members stand out, but Al St. John was mis-used. He and director Newfield needed tighter control on St. John's characterization, which was just over-done and over the top. But my only complaint.

The fight scenes didn't have the Yakima Canutt quality that would soon become the standard, but they were OK.

I had been discussing some movie remakes that really shouldn't have been made. But "A Lawman Is Born" is one that should be re-made, if we could find good Western performers worthy of the story.

It's not perfect, but I do recommend "A Lawman Is Born," which can be found at YouTube, though in a print that is too dark but bearable.

An outlaw falsely accused of murder realizes the only way to clear himself is to become a lawman.

No, this is not a western version of a star is born(!) but a moderately intriguing western with a fresh and unusual idea of Johnny Mack Brown being an ex-outlaw working as a store clerk, and the dead sheriff's late sister encouraging him to pick the law man's badge. What was needed was a bigger budget, a sharper script and a much more developed plotline as the execution of the story falls short. However, it's great to see Johnny Mack Brown take on the bad guys; he acts really well too.

"A Lawman is Born" starts out with a fairly unusual premise, that being the star Johnny Mack Brown is a nice-enough appearing young man working in an undemanding job as an assistant store clerk to veteran actor Al St. John, who would later gain his most lasting recognition as a sidekick to western leads Buster Crabbe and Robert Livingston in the 1940s. Although something of a fugitive from justice, circumstances develop in such a way that Brown's character eventually takes on a lawman's role in the little town. The story just seemed to me to be less developed than it could be, and while the cast is capable, it just doesn't seem like we get to know any of the characters all that well, including, unfortunately, Johnny himself! And this in spite of the film being directed by B-western directing stalwart Sam Newfield. The indoor settings are dull, even to the point that main street buildings' open doors looking out to the street from the inside show just an undefined gray background with no hint of the town in view. Even the horse and rider chases move through undistinguished landscapes. One interesting moment in the film is when there is a "Gunsmoke-style" gun duel, which is rarely depicted in these films (it would be interesting to see a compilation of such scenes). So in sum, "A Lawman is Born" It is an okay film, but essentially not really notable nor worth remembering for anything in particular, I am sorry to say.