Ghost City

Director Harry Fraser, also credited as co-writer of the story for this entry in Trem Carr's "Bill and Andy" series, focuses on atmosphere and characterization, rather than plot, and does not pace the proceedings too briskly. It is the tale of a newspaper editor, Bill Temple (Bill Cody), who arrives in Boomtown with his sidekick, Pete (Si Jenks), and a printing press - determined to get the goods on swindler Jim Blane (Walter Miller), with whom he had previously tangled. For reasons unknown, Blane has married a widow named Ruby (Kate Campbell), whose young son (Andy Shuford) dances for the raucous crowd in Blane's saloon. The nefarious Blane is also Boomtown's self-styled banker, whose large safe holds all the townsfolk's deeds and other legal records.

Cody, an agile and lively scuffler, has a fight with expert Charlie King, and devotees of series westerns are given some gunfire and chases, but the story unfolds at a rather leisurely trot, as compared with other "Bill and Andy" westerns. Bill's role suits him nicely, however, and Helen Foster provides him with a pretty young lady to rescue from the unscrupulous villain. Those who enjoy early western talkies should find "The Ghost City" diverting.