This is yet another of John Wayne's early B-westerns that has been mercilessly updated and is being shown on the Encore Channel. Some bone-head thought it was a good idea to add a musical accompaniment to the film. However, the music is just awful. It's way too loud, inappropriate because of its use of very modern electronic music, often inserted haphazardly AND the same music is used in all the films! So, each Encore presentation of a Wayne film has the exact same intro and incidental music! Now these Wayne films already are very similar to each other, but with these 'enhancements', it's much worse. My advice is to download the films off the links on IMDb--it costs nothing, is perfectly legal and has the original music.
The film begins with Wayne and his completely dull sidekick (some bald guy with the personality of a shoe whose name I won't even bother to look up)...oh heck, it's Eddy Chandler) coming into town. Wayne is there to participate in the rodeo but after winning some prize money, he learns that the people running the event are crooks--and they only offer him a quarter of the money he earned. Not being content with this offer, Wayne and his bald buddy use their guns to convince the guy to pay them their due (which, from what I remember, is a lot like what O.J. is now serving time for in Nevada). However, soon after the pair leave, another guy comes in and robs the same guy--then kills him! And, to cover his tracks, the murderer claims Wayne and his partner are guilty. Since the two were seen leaving shortly before the murder, it appears as if they are guilty.
In another town, Wayne and Mr. Dull assume new identities and blend in as best they can. But with Wayne being an action hero, he soon draws notoriety by saving some guy....and is rewarded with being jailed when someone recognizes him ("no good deed goes unpunished"). However, the dull sidekick does have an ally...and naturally everything works out just fine in the end.
One of deficits for the film (apart from the music--which you can't blame on the original production company) are the reuse of both footage from another Wayne B-movie and the plot idea of a crooked rodeo from "The Man From Utah". Another is pairing Wayne with a dull sidekick who is neither funny nor endearing. However, like the rest of Wayne's films of the era, it is pleasant and entertaining provided you can appreciate the niche such B-movies played. They weren't meant as high art and at a breezy one hour in length (or a bit less), they were pretty much like a Gene Autry or Roy Rogers series film--and kids loved them. And, like many of the Autry and Rogers films, there are some odd anachronisms that seemed unusual in the West--such as the leading lady's very modern style of dress.
The film begins with Wayne and his completely dull sidekick (some bald guy with the personality of a shoe whose name I won't even bother to look up)...oh heck, it's Eddy Chandler) coming into town. Wayne is there to participate in the rodeo but after winning some prize money, he learns that the people running the event are crooks--and they only offer him a quarter of the money he earned. Not being content with this offer, Wayne and his bald buddy use their guns to convince the guy to pay them their due (which, from what I remember, is a lot like what O.J. is now serving time for in Nevada). However, soon after the pair leave, another guy comes in and robs the same guy--then kills him! And, to cover his tracks, the murderer claims Wayne and his partner are guilty. Since the two were seen leaving shortly before the murder, it appears as if they are guilty.
In another town, Wayne and Mr. Dull assume new identities and blend in as best they can. But with Wayne being an action hero, he soon draws notoriety by saving some guy....and is rewarded with being jailed when someone recognizes him ("no good deed goes unpunished"). However, the dull sidekick does have an ally...and naturally everything works out just fine in the end.
One of deficits for the film (apart from the music--which you can't blame on the original production company) are the reuse of both footage from another Wayne B-movie and the plot idea of a crooked rodeo from "The Man From Utah". Another is pairing Wayne with a dull sidekick who is neither funny nor endearing. However, like the rest of Wayne's films of the era, it is pleasant and entertaining provided you can appreciate the niche such B-movies played. They weren't meant as high art and at a breezy one hour in length (or a bit less), they were pretty much like a Gene Autry or Roy Rogers series film--and kids loved them. And, like many of the Autry and Rogers films, there are some odd anachronisms that seemed unusual in the West--such as the leading lady's very modern style of dress.