Way Out West

Although he's all but forgotten now, in 1930, Hollywood's first full year of talkie films, William Haines was king of the box office. His movies - he starred in three of them - made more money than those of any other male star. WAY OUT WEST is one of those films.

Haines plays a carnival shyster who cheats some cowboys out of their money with a crooked roulette wheel. They retaliate by kidnapping him, taking him back to their ranch and forcing him to work off the debt.

There are some of the usual silly-billy antics you expect from a Bill Haines film. But there are also lapses into very serious areas as well. The look on Haines' bleeding face after he's been roughed-up by a big cowboy, without a word spoken, speaks volumes.

Also appearing are Leila Hyams, one of MGM's pretty starlets of the early 1930's; Francis X. Bushman, Jr.; the ubiquitous Polly Moran; and little Cliff Edwards, who gets to play his ukulele & sing.

WAY OUT WEST is a film designed to be a star vehicle for the controversial WILLIAM HAINES, who was during this time an outspoken gay member of the Hollywood community. He was a talented charmer, capable of natural performances rather than the standard overacting typical of many a silent screen star.

While the film itself may not be a winner, it's entertaining enough to keep you watching until the happy ending. Haines plays a carnival worker whose crooked ways lead to his capture by a bunch of cowboy roughs who want him to work off his debt to them by doing chores as a farmhand. FRANCIS X. BUSHMAN is one of the guys, POLLY MORAN makes a winsome female, and CLIFF EDWARDS has an innocuous supporting role.

It's strictly standard stuff but interesting to watch Haines at work, creating a character you can't help but like despite his sordid reputation (in the film). Rumor has it that his being openly gay ruined his career in up tight Hollywood when morality clauses were enforced rather harshly.

Summing up: Definitely worth a look.

If you understand the background plot of "Singing in the Rain" this is a great film to watch. Made in 1930 it is a fun movie to watch. The actors were mainly silent film stars giving it a go in the infancy of talking movies. Often the dialog is absolutely horrible, exactly what was explained in "Singing in the Rain". If a confusing abduction scene the heroine is speaking a repetitious monotone with no voice inflection speaking the same line over and over again. "Please do not hurt me, Please do not hurt me. Please do not hurt me...." The gunfights are straight out of the Max Sennett school of movie making. It is one of the earliest films shot in Monument Valley, the studio scenes were done in New Mexico. When I first saw the title I thought, "Geez I really do not care for Laurel and Hardy, but what the hell I do not have anything better to watch while waiting for a delivery." After a few minutes I caught on that this Way Out West was a much earlier talkie than the Laurel and Hardy film of the same name. It is a pre code movie so the "Gay" caricatures will surprising to say the least. If you are expecting a western the calibre of "The Searchers" but if you are interesting in understanding the evolution of movie making industry this is worth watching.

Carnival barker Windy (William Haines) cheats a group of cowboys with a rigged roulette wheel. Instead of hanging him, the boys decide to force him to work off the stolen money. He falls for ranch owner Molly Rankin (Leila Hyams).

I really like him as a scheming con-man in a carnival side show. I wouldn't mind a whole movie with that. Once he gets on the ranch, I like him a lot less. In fact, I don't think I like him at all. His flirting with Molly comes off as lies and deceits. I don't really care about the romancing and the movie falls flat. There is an undercurrent of something more which only backs up why the romance doesn't work.

William Haines plays a brassy carnival barker who gets caught cheating 3 cowboys in a roulette game. His punishment is to work off the debt (after a carny girl steals his money) on a local ranch. Great concept and perfect for the Haines formula, but the film is flat in a couple places and needed a better director. The editing is also bad. But Haines is a delight as usual. His silly billy character made a smooth transition to talkies. Haines was one of the most appealing and popular stars of the late 20s and early 30s.

Good cast here with pretty Leila Hyams the ranch owner, Cliff Edwards the hapless cowhand Trilby (whom Haines keeps calling Svengali), Polly Moran as Pansy the housekeeper, Ralph Bushman the lead cowboy, Charles Middleton the brother, Vera Marshe the carny girl, Jack Pennick as Pete, and Jay Wilsey and Buddy Roosevelt the other cowboys. Ann Dvorak is one of the carny dancers.

Very odd but the carny girls wear the same cannibal outfits in their dance number as the dancers in the Free and Easy number from the 1930 film of the same name. And Dvorak was a dancer in THAT film as well (which starred Buster Keaton). MGM recycled the costumes! Minor Haines film and one credited as his first flop, but still interesting to see this once-major star in action.