The Westerner

When saddled with a good script and direction, Tim McCoy's B westerns were among the best made in the days before the singing cowboys took over the reins. "The Westerner," not to be confused with the later Gary Cooper/Walter Brennan classic, is exciting with a simple story told well, blended with plenty of action. About the only ingredient missing is humor. There is no comical sidekick. Sometimes this was a blessing, depending on who the comedian happened to be. Since the story moves right along, the sidekick is not missed. Tim McCoy is a loner, not afraid to use his six shooter or his fists when forced to, but he is also a romantic. He does not ride off into the sunset at the end, but walks away with the pretty ranch owner, Juanita Barnes, played with charm and gusto by lovely Marion Shilling. The rest of the cast is a good one, led by the great character actor Joe Sawyer, whose face is a familiar one to movie buffs interested in films of the 1930's and 40's. Sawyer, who plays rancher Senator Lockhart's son, Bob, has an ambivalent role, since the viewer doesn't know how to classify him at first. Is he a bad guy or a good guy? Toward the end you get the answer.

The story concerns rustlers who are in collusion with the local law officers. The leader, Wayne Wallace (played by Hooper Atchley who makes a dandy villain), not only wants all the cattle but wants a cattle empire for himself and his henchmen. In the process Tim, who plays Tim Addison, ranch hand and bronco buster, loses his father who leaves enough money behind for him to start his own ranch. Getting the goods on Wallace and his crooked friends takes up the rest of the movie. In doing this he is helped by Uncle Ben and the other ranch hands who come with the spread bought by Tim, which just happens to adjoin Juanita Barnes' place on one side and Senator Lockhart's on the other.

Sit back and enjoy one of Tim McCoy's best features.

I just wanted to say, this was actually a nice little movie. I'm not too keen on Western movies, but I rather liked this one. Don't have much to say, it just came across as a nice old fashioned good guy saves the day type of film.

Tim McCoy was a better than average B-western star...at least to me. Unlike many of the later, prettier cowboys who liked to sing and probably never even saw a horse or shot a gun before they made their first film, McCoy had worked as a cowboy, traveled the world as a champion trick shooter and was a colonel...yes a colonel! Because of this, I found him much more believable and I usually enjoy his films. This being said, however, there wasn't a whole lot I loved or hated about this particular film. It was just okay in every way.

In "The Westerner", Tim's major nemesis is Bob, the senator's son (Joe Sawyer). He wants the same girl as Tim and is just itching for a showdown. This only happens near the end...and that is when a weird twist occurs...one that necessitates Tim breaking out of jail in order to prove his innocence (a common cliché).

A mildly interesting story and a few weird twists, this one is just okay.

Colonel Tim McCoy was a real cowboy,gentleman,actor and above all, a real American. He was one of the great B Western heroes.I admire him for what he did for our "Native Americans". God Bless You Colonel Tim!.He was also magnificent in the "Rough Rider" series with the great Buck Jones and Raymond Hatton..