Few studios in Gower Gulch could afford to make first class productions. And the ones that tried usually crashed and burned when their efforts paled miserably in comparison to the major studios (1937's "Something to Sing About" literally killed off Grand National). Herbert J. Yates' Republic Pictures was one of the few poverty row moguls that could pull off a convincing 'A' effort, which essentially ended with 1952's The Quiet Man. Directed by Republic contract writer (and frequent John Wayne colleague) Jim Grant, Angel and the Badman is a very good picture, with a bravura twilight performance by the late great Harry Carey. Gail Russell gives a good performance that ideally fit her tragically fragile personality (she'd die at 36 of chronic alcoholism). Unfortunately, what hurts this movie the most is the terrible soundtrack. It appears to have been lifted from some dismal 15-chapter 1930's sagebrush serial. The music is so intrusive and inappropriate (most notable in the climatic ending scene) that it scars an otherwise entertaining, borderline classic. John Wayne's erstwhile drinking buddy, Bruce Cabot, a resoundingly mediocre actor, lives up to expectations as a mediocre bad guy. So severe is the soundtrack (-3 stars in my mind) and -1 star for Bruce Cabot's presence means 6 stars from me.
Review of Angel and the Badman
