"South of Santa Fe" (1932) was released 8 January 1932, so this probably is a film actually made in 1931. This was a period when Bob Steele (real name Robert Adrian Bradbury) began making films his father (real name Ronald N. Bradbury, though he went by Robert, Sr. and his son for a while Robert, Jr.) directed. It's too bad that this film wasn't directed by his father! Instead, it was directed by half-way decent cinematographer Bert Glennon in his last attempt at direction. Glennon also cut the picture, and the editing is miserable. Too bad, too. Because this is actually a rather good story, and it's a fun film to watch - up to a point. The point is that some things are so obviously in need of cutting or better acting or better editing or better direction in general that the film ends up muddled throughout. For example, this is a typical "B" Western, and the horsemanship is always of great importance. There were lots of horse spills in these things, though those were rarely, if ever shown, unless they furthered the plot or were written in beforehand. In "South of Santa Fe" we have three (!) horse spills, and each of them is obviously NOT planned, but kept as part of the plot. One would have sufficed. Two would have been okay...probably. But the third was too much. It filled up the time, though. The entire film is exactly 60 minutes to the second.
The film stars Bob Steele, Janis Elliott, Ed Brady, Eddie Dunn, Gordon De Main, Chris-Pin Martin, Al Ernest Garcia, and others. I kept looking at Janis Elliott, wondering where I'd seen her before. Then it occurred to me that she looked remarkably like Merle Oberon. Trouble is, Merle Oberon was making films in England in 1932. And - this was the only film Janis Elliott ever made. That's a good thing, too. She was absolutely gorgeous, and simply as bad an actress as I've ever seen. Her line readings were embarrassing to watch.
Elliott's father, played by John Elliott (no relation), is killed by Ed Brady, and Brady steals a map of where a very good mine is. But, as he's stealing the map out of Janis Elliott's hand it rips in two, and he leaves with only half the map. The rest of the show - littered with comedy bits, some very good, some just overly done or lame because of bad direction, not bad acting - or even bad comedy - plays out against this beginning, Bob Steele eventually solving all, of course - and getting the girl in a final scene that is utterly not believable - AT ALL!!
Still, even with all the criticism - and it's deserved - I liked the show. How do you like that?! It's on a pretty good Alpha Video DVD, but it certainly isn't pristine...
