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This silent film is one of Bob's last before the talkies . If you're looking for rip-roaring traditional western , this isn't it . Steele never wears a gun in this film .

There are a couple of fist fights in the film . One of them reminds you a Keystone Kops routine with it's comedic turns .

Steele is developing as an actor as this film so sorely demonstrates . They still are utilizing the familiar close-up of the smiling hero several times . Steele's athletic ability is shown in several ways in the fights , the mounting of horses and his riding skills . This Steele film almost is a step back from previous silents. But each opportunity to star helps in the long run .

Janet Reno reveals why she didn't make an impact in films . Lew Meehan is always excellent as the villain .

This film makes minimal use of interior and exterior sets . This film could have been shot in 2 or 3 days . I can only recommend this one if you're a die-hard Steele fan .

Here is a western that has it it all . There is plenty of action , an excellent story with some excellent dialog not to mention a great cast . This is a 'A' western with a 'B ' western flavor . "B' western good guys and bad guys abound in a ' Pop ' Sherman production .

This is mounted very similar to a Hopalong Cassidy western that Sherman was adept at producing . You get the feel of a " Hoppy " film . Many of the actors seemed to be favorites of Sherman ala John Ford and appeared in Hoppys and and other productions of Shermans

The story revolves around a feud between the Morrell ( Dix and Tyler ) and the Barrett families in Texas . The leader of the Morrell clan ( Dix ) and the Barrett clan ( Jory ) signed a peace pact after a Morrell brother was killed by the youngest Barrett ( Douglas Fowley ). The Barretts move to the Cherokee Strip to continue their nefarious ways rustling , robbing stages , robbing banks and other dastardly deeds .

Dix goes to their home base of Goliath, OK. as a U.S. Marshal so he can get the 'goods ' on them for continuing to rustlers .

The 'cat and mouse ' game between Dix and Jory is excellent with Dix one step ahead of Jory . The stagecoach with both of them is excellent starting at the relay station . For the real 'B' western aficionado , that is Bill Cody handing Jory the satchel .

This is worth the watch and you will be entertained .

I have read some reviews and feel so many miss the point of this film . The intro gives the gist in a nutshell - ' a busy telephone exchange where everybody knows on Sunday what everybody did on Saturday night -and the rest of the week '.

The film is slow in developing the theme ,but it does a good job of getting all of the characters identified and their traits so the plot is ready to unfold .It unfolds quickly and then the misdeed is set in motion . Conny and Eva are the 2 " hot ones ' on the youth circuit . When they see Ruth coming back in Romer's car , they begin with their havoc . First Connie lies and and then Eva lets the cat out of the bag on the phone in front of her mother .

The film shows how quickly gossip can spread and how the story expands and the changes are received as gospel truth . The cruelty and the harshness continue to grow with the telling and re-telling . No one dare questions the veracity of the charges . Once the gossip gets going , there is no recalling the charges . The tragedy is they will never get their comeuppance because no one will trace the source . That's life in a small town where there is a busy telephone exchange

Then the gossips take over . Ruth's reputation is ruined in one day .An it continues as small towns need to have something to talk about . It grows worse until Ruth is looked upon as the town tramp and fired .

She sees marrying Randolph Scott as a quick way to end the shame , but it wouldn't in reality . She would be years living this scandal down if ever .

This was about as accurate a portrayal of the visciousness of life in a small town as you will find . This truly is a piece of 'Americana 'of life as you will find .

Jane Darwell expressed small town mentality of parents not wanting to be embarrassed by the actions of the children because they have live with the populace . Today , most parents would give it no thought

That is the reason Grant's name was pronounced 'rumor' . The ending was stilted and contrived to tone down the scandal . Ruth was getting away from it all . You see the little hesitation of Ruth as she lifts her head up and then she lays her head on Grant's shoulder . Grant's transformation is stretching one's credulousness . All of the ending was asking too much .