On any list of great cowboy stars who are great riders, Bob Steele has to be at or near the top. He was also one of the best action stars, especially in the fight scenes. (And later in his career, he was just superb in small parts as gangsters or, shamefully unbilled, as bit or even atmosphere player in big-budget pictures.)
Any movie with him on horseback, or mounting or dismounting his horse, is a movie to watch.
And in this surprisingly good low-budget Western, Bob Steele is merely the first-named performer.
His leading lady is the supremely talented, but today little-known, Lois January, a genuine Texas girl who was seemingly born to star in Westerns. Watching her, one knows one is seeing a real actress too.
Charles King is another real actor, one seemingly doomed to forever play B-Western villains, but so obviously capable of more. Just watching him in one of his inevitable fight scenes always gives me pause: HOW, I ask, did he not get hurt?
Other actors have spoken very well of him, including Miss January. Actors who became Western stars said he taught them how to handle the fight scenes, for example, and his own abilities include more than fights. He has an expressive face and voice.
Ernie Adams again surprised me. He plays a strong and brave right-hand-man to the hero, and is very believable.
My favorite Dave "Tex" O'Brien has a small role, but that personality shines through and so does the ability.
Earl Dwire, with so many credits, again plays a sympathetic bad man. As a fan, I hate to see him playing a character sure to get the worst of it.
All the rest of the cast, even the great performers who get no screen credit, are just perfect Western players, and many get a chance to shine in this very well-directed and very well-written Western.
I really do recommend this (maybe not perfect but) excellent Western, and you can find a good print at YouTube.
