Mark of the Lash

When I saw the name Ray Taylor as director, I had to turn to IMDB to get an idea what his career had entailed and if he had cranked out any good movies. According to available information, he was one of Hollywood's most prolific directors of one- and two-reelers, and on a few occasions served as assistant director to the famous John Ford.

By 1948, he was contracted to Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC), a studio known its tight-fistedness, and working with Alfred 'Lash' La Rue, who gave his own name to the serial's hero... Lash La Rue, no less. Sadly, Alfred was no median actor, he was downright expressionless and his diction rather contrived, his sole saving grace being the black attire.

To add to the woes, an unbelievable script with the top villain running the town with an iron fist and disposing of land owners quicker than toilet paper. Of course, Lash and his sidekick Al St John - a cheap version of Gabby Hayes in the Hopalong Cassidy serial - win the day after some punchups and shootouts that make the film's graph highs.

Watchable. 6/10.

Local ranchers send for Lash Larue after Taggart (Marshall Reed) closes off their water supply. Learning about this, Taggart sends his gang to kill Lash, but they get the wrong man. The wrong man is a state governor sent to fix the problem - the bad guys presume Lash is the governor. Lash plays along while Taggart appoints himself Sheriff.

All Lash La Rue are standard b's, they are decent entertainment, some better than others- Mark of the Lash is a good one, mainly down to the slam bang action, especially at the end. The energy uplifts the simply told tale. Lash is at the top of his game and Fuzzy provides the laughs. Very amusing that every one scatters every time he tells them about his adventures with Buffalo Bill. That's a secret weapon right there.

The original Man in Black, Lash LaRue, appears in this standard western programmer from 1948. LaRue tangles with a bad guy tying up water rights in the old west . Fuzzy St. John appears again as the loyal sidekick, engaging in his usual shenanigans along the way.

LaRue had a huge following in the rural south and remained popular on the movie convention circuit thru the 1990's. This film was a fairly standard Lash film, with the usual fistfights and chase scenes.

The prolific Tom London appears in this one, anchoring a familiar supporting cast. Not everyone is fan of LaRue's films, but this one is worth a look......... This one is average, but a good diversion.