Les aventures de Kit Carson

Rousing, action packed tale of the taking of California from the Mexican Government. While historically inaccurate, the cast and direction move things along in a pleasant manner, with lotsa Indians and gunfire. It's a good thing that Andrews wears a moustache since he and Hall are almost twins.

Well they just don't make them like this anymore. I for one would enjoy new releases of this calibre of the western genre. The original western cowboy and the officer and a gentleman vying for the heart of the classy lady who is travelling across the prairies heading for California to re-unite with her wealthy cattle rancher father. The only problem is there are hundreds of Indians behind the tall hills who do not want the Americans settling on the land that they already are sharing with the Mexicans who also have aspirations of taking the beautiful state of California land as their own.

The rugged frontiersman is a real life cowboy named Kit Carson (played by Jon Hall) who has teamed up with two of his best friends and loyal followers whose names appropriately are Ape (Ward Bond), and Lopez (Harold Huber). These three amigos agree to be the lead scouts for the wagon train that the unmarried damsel named Dolores Murphy (Lynn Bari) has secured their services for a wheel barrel full of cash. The wagon train also has a flank of American soldiers at their side led by Captain John C. Fremont (Dana Andrews).

What is different about this western/romance is that the two alpha males who are vying for Ms. Murphy's affections act more like the courteous animated chipmunks Chip and Dale then two adversaries. Both are true gentlemen and only want Ms. Murphy to be happy with her choice for her future husband.

This film is filled with action, light humor, cowboys and Indians, chivalry, romance and a pretty darn good ending for a black and white film released 78 years ago. I liked it a lot and I give it a sound 7 out of 10 rating.

The western film Kit Carson, an independent release from United Artists in 1940 presents a rousing action filled portrayal of one of the greatest of American frontier characters. But the real Kit Carson was so much more interesting that it's almost a shame that this one is his screen epitaph.

Jon Hall plays Carson in proper frontier style with Mesquiteer like mountain men companions Ward Bond and Harold Huber. Dana Andrews is John C. Fremont noted explorer and surveyor of the west who eventually became the first Republican party presidential candidate. One thing I should dispel right away, they never quarreled over any woman, even one as beautiful as Lynn Bari. Fremont was already married to Jessie Benton, daughter of US Senator Thomas Hart Benton and Carson after living among the Indians and fathering two illegitimate children married the daughter of the governor of New Mexico when it was still in old Mexico. He even took instructions in the Roman Catholic faith to make such a marriage.

The action of about two years is compressed into approximately a few months with Fremont's expedition being the catspaw of the US government to check out California to see if it was ripe for the taking. Fremont never took a wagon train to California or anywhere else, especially since he was mapping and surveying the territory that Carson and other mountain knew about before. He had enough trouble getting him and his men over the Rockies and Sierras without women and kids along.

Both Hall and Andrews certainly do right by their characterizations of both men and I wish I could rate the film higher. Sad to say though its accuracy is so bad that it's almost on the level of a B western where they use some real life western figure and build a fictitious plot around them. Plenty of action though with Indian fights and then fights with the Mexican army in California. Kit Carson must have done well with the Saturday matinée crowd back in the day.

Great story with many great actors including Jon Hall, Ward Bond, Dana Andrews, Raymond Hatton, Clayton Moore, Renie Riano and Harold Huber. My personal favorite Lynn Bari, "The Woo Woo Girl" gave a career performance. Aside from the opening scene, the beginning was rather soporific but developed the characters and story wonderfully thereafter. The struggles against the Shoshones contrasted nicely with the love triangle of Hall and Andrews vying for Bari's affections. The scenery of Monument Valley was spectacular with one of the best circle-the-wagon scenes ever. This could be described as a loose knit Kit Carson biopic that was wonderfully produced and a classic in it's own right.

It's really rewarding when you can find a gem where you weren't expecting to. I watched "Kit Carson" because it was raining and golf was cancelled, and I wanted to kill some time. What a surprise to see Jon Hall, of all people, in an action-packed story better than many with higher ratings. I figure it must have been the second feature paired with a more expensive picture, but this one held its own. It moves along at a good clip with some good second unit work on several fight scenes between the settlers and the Cavalry troop, led by Capt. Dana Andrews, chief scout Jon Hall and sidekick Ward Bond. One of the settlers wagons is driven by Clayton Moore - you can close your eyes when he talks and he becomes the Lone Ranger. Close your eyes again, and Jon Hall sounds like Randolph Scott, soft drawl and all.

See it when it's on again if you like surprises and action westerns, and overlook the plot holes. It's one of those pictures that is better the younger you are. I found it was nice to be young again.

Star rating is in the heading. The website no longer prints mine.