Régime de terreur

Made in 1942, a film about patriotism is necessarily going to be a pro-Union all-American affair, as this B movie undoubtedly is.

Played by Robert Stack, Barry Conovan, a newspaperman, is sent to Texas some years after the death of Sam Houston, with the aim of getting the real skinny on the grand old man. He unearths some facts which make Houston more heroic than had been thought up North before, and then gets involved, and ultimately held hostage by Broderick Crawford's Henry Clay Jackson,.

Jackson is a Texan rebel, but Conovan discovers that he is no noble freedom-fighter, opting instead for robbing banks to fill his own pockets rather than for the greater glory of Texas.

The drums of patriotism beat loudly throughout the rather leaden script, which is flairlessly uttered by the second class actors.

Unless you happen to be a rabid Texas chauvinist who still thinks the Lone Star State is illegally occupied, the film is wholly inoffensive and passes the time. But it really is very ordinary.

What did not existed in THE UNTOUCHABLES series, I mean Robert Stack - Elliot Ness - vs Broderick Crawford - cause BC never played in this awesome gangster crime series, NEVER, what a shame - what never existed, Stack vas Crawford, you have here, in this taut, tense, fast speed Ray Enright western, where Enright once more leaves his trade mark, fast, very fast and furious pace, and historical figures of the West story. It is gritty, with an outstanding Crawford, more "machine gun talking" than ever. I always enjoy watching a Ray Enright western, the matter when he was the very best; most of them Warner Bros and also a bit for RKO Pictures.