Calling Wild Bill Elliott

Naturally in Calling Wild Bill Elliott its himself that plays the title role. I was a bit dubious about this film and normally I like Wild Bill Elliott films, but the idea of a self appointed territorial governor as villain and played by Herbert Heyes was a bit much to swallow.

Yet that's what we have here as Heyes sets himself up in some unnamed part of the Old West. Heyes is bleeding the settlers dry and has folks like Roy Barcroft as part of his army of state militia to do it.

When he messes with Fred Kohler Jr.'s family that's when Elliott who as always is a peaceable man gets into the mix. After the deaths of Kohler's father and a federal judge. the latter with the blame thrown on Wild Bill. Elliott gets downright hostile.

Lots of shooting and fisticuffs to satisfy the Saturday Matinée kid in any of us. Pretend your 10 year old and the film might pass muster.

A Gabby showcase, with a rather affable Wild Bill. Seems the territorial governor is using his powers to drive ranchers off their land, that is, until the upright Culver family resists. Good thing Wild Bill and Gabby are there to help out. Sure, the plot is just a variation on the standard theme of baddies cheating regular folks. But it works here mainly because of good acting, especially from veteran baddie Roy Barcroft (Captain Carson), and Herbert Heyes as the irascible governor. Gabby's also at his best lending his inimitable brand of gruff humor, and, crucially, without being clownish. Little Buzz Henry (John Jr.) is also likable, and I expect the envy of every kid in the theater audience. Too bad Anne Jeffries (Edith) doesn't do much but stand around and look pretty, which she does well. Anyway, there's a lot of action, which is essential to these oaters. Still, I wish Wild Bill would at least look like he's aiming before he fires his six-gun. Nonetheless, I give the 60-minutes a "7" on the matinée scale, thanks to a good mix of action, acting, and likability.

This action-packed Republic oater is exciting but filled with just about all the cowboy clichés imaginable. The two that stand out and have been parodied over and over ad nauseum are the U.S. cavalry coming to the rescue and the hero riding off into the sunset for more adventures. In this one Wild Bill even takes his comical sidekick, Gabby Hayes, with him. A cowboy hero just never knows who he'll pick up along the way. Why would he choose the cantankerous Gabby over the beautiful Anne Jeffreys? Well, now...

The story isn't bad but the viewer does have to suspend his/her belief in a few places. It seems the only law and order in the territory is that of a self-appointed governor (how does that work?) and his assistant in crime, the meanie Roy Barcroft. To make matters worse for the local ranchers, the governor is using his law to take their land. The Culver family decides to stand up to the legal outlaws. In the process Grandpa Culver is murdered and Wild Bill is blamed. The honest federal judge for the territory is called in and just happens to bring his pretty daughter with him, played with charm and gusto by the talented actress Ann Jeffreys. Why has Ann Jeffreys not received her due in Hollywood? Until now her main claim to fame has been playing a ghost on television's "Topper." The Judge is killed and Wild Bill gets blamed for his murder too. Trying to prove his innocence plus getting the goods on the corrupt governor and his henchmen fill the remainder of the film. Be aware that not long after the movie begins there is a somewhat sadistic part that could possibly upset kids where a drunk tries to burn a parrot in a cage and then the youngster Buzzy with a lit cigarette until Wild Bill intercedes.

Wild Bill Elliott's career was at its peak when this movie was made. He represents the trend in Hollywood during the war years and the post war years of the non-singing Saturday matinée cowboy more like the ever-popular Hopalong Cassidy where action is emphasized. Even the old policy of having a western swing band perform in cowboy movies when the hero was not a singer began to fade. Sometimes a singing cowboy would co-star with a non-singing cowboy. Wild Bill was first teamed with singing cowboy Tex Ritter. This ploy also began to phase itself out.

Wild Bill got his moniker from playing Wild Bill Hickok in a popular serial. His comical sidekick became Gabby Hayes, possibly the best one around. This plus the talents of Ann Jeffreys made the Wild Bill Elliot Republic movies among the best of the day. Usually Gabby, as in "Calling Wild Bill Elliott," would claim to know Wild Bill as a pal in the saddle. Gabby tells the youngster Buzzy, "Why I was so close to Wild Bill that we wore the same hat." When the real Wild Bill shows up, Gabby doesn't know him until Wild Bill gets the drift and puts his arm around Gabby as if the two were old saddle mates. As Wild Bill fans know one of his trademarks was wearing his pistols backwards butts front in his holsters. When he drew he would draw in the normal way and flip the guns around with a twist of his wrist. Especially for the kids, this made Wild Bill special and different from other action heroes of the day.

This is one of Wild Bill's better westerns, with plenty of ridin', ropin', and shootin', plus Gabby Hayes' humor and tall tales are always fun.