Two-Fisted Law (1932) User Reviews

Saving Little Nell

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 11 February 2007]

Though in the film John Wayne is second billed to star Tim McCoy he actually has very little to do. Wayne is in the unaccustomed role of sidekick.

Wayne and Wallace MacDonald are the last two ranch hands working for Tim McCoy. He's lost is ranch to crooked banker Wheeler Oakman, but being the good boss and friend he is to Wayne and MacDonald he finds them jobs with neighbor and sweetheart Alice Day.

That might be short term employment for Oakman has designs on the ranch and on Day. Those designs on Day ain't covered by the cowboy code.

McCoy goes off prospecting for a couple of years and no sooner is he back than he's framed for an express company holdup and killing resulting from same. The rest of the movie is McCoy's fight to prove his innocence and save Day from a fate worse than death.

Wheeler Oakman seems to be enjoying his role as villain, he's hamming it up in the best Snidely Whiplash tradition. And Day makes a perfect Little Nell.

Tim McCoy, a silent western star, seems to have made the transition to sound easily enough. He's a stern and upright hero who's bound and determined prove his innocence.

Note good performances by Tully Marshall as the father figure sheriff of the area who believes in McCoy and a young Walter Brennan as his less than scrupulous deputy.

My VHS of this film is 58 minutes and I note that the running time is 64 minutes. That might explain some gaps in the story and maybe it was John Wayne who got cut out.

This was the last Columbia movie that John Wayne ever appeared in. It seems as though Harry Cohn thought Wayne was putting the moves on a young starlet who rejected Cohn's advances even though Wayne wasn't involved. But after the Duke became a star and a legend, there wasn't enough money in the world that would get him to appear in a Columbia Studios film.

But realizing this is a B western, it's not the worst one I've ever seen although somehow I doubt we'll ever see a director's cut.

Not a bad B-western, but don't watch it for John Wayne...

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 2 April 2011]

If you are a die-hard John Wayne fan and this is why you are watching this film, you are bound to be disappointed. He's in the film but just doesn't have much to do. His personality is practically non-existent---mostly because this is such an early film for Wayne and his B-persona hadn't yet been established. Instead, it's clearly a Tim McCoy starring vehicle--and an adequate one at that. I've seen much better McCoy westerns (he's one of my favorite in this low-budget genre) but it is passably good entertainment.

The film begins with Tim Clark (McCoy) having to give up his ranch. It seems that he's had some business setbacks and the man holding the note to the property is demanding his money now. Having no choice, he leaves and is gone for two years. In the meantime, the baddie, Russell, is now trying to take Betty Owens' ranch as well--or force her to marry him. But, before this evil deed can take place, Clark returns and offers to pay off Betty's debt! And, it just so happens that about the same time McCoy makes this $10,000 payment that the Wells Fargo office is robbed and the clerk is killed. Naturally Clark coming into so much money seemingly out of no where makes everyone suspicious and Russell insists that the nice Sheriff (Tom Tully) arrest Tim. But by the end, naturally, Tim has not only found the real robbers and won the girl--and shown that he is LEGALLY a very wealthy man.

Old western fans will also be pleased to know that Walter Brennan is also in the film. Uncharacteristically, he plays an evil henchman and you may not recognize him at first because he's young AND sounds very different--before he lost his teeth in an accident.

Some say that every cloud has a silver lining . . .

[oscaralbert · 5/10 · 28 October 2016]

. . . but when Tim McCoy's "Tim Clark" looks for his, he finds a gold mine instead. Unfortunately, McCoy has zero charisma, apparently graduating from the Narcoleptic School of Acting. Alice Day, as Tim's girl "Betty," is even worse. Though TWO-FISTED LAW gives John Wayne second billing, there are at least 10 other roles more important than the light-lifting done by his ranch hand "Duke" (and with more lines). Among these is Walter Brennan's crooked deputy Bendix (but every Western fan knows that Brennan's dentures have more acting ability Mr. Tiptoes ever possessed, as well as better line readings). Other than those cast short-comings, the most that can be said of TWO-FISTED LAW is that it simply follows along in the deep ruts cut by all the low-budget Horse Operas of the 1930s Great Depression years. This message is that most if not all Rich People make their fortunes by duping employees into committing robbery, mayhem, and murder at their bidding, and then throwing them under the stagecoach at the first hint of trouble. (Though wealthy Crimelord "Robert Russell" gets some just desserts here, in Real Life the Rich become Red State icons with names such as Koch. (THINGS go better with Koch--NOT people!)

Fair Western

[Michael_Elliott · 31 July 2016]

Two-Fisted Law (1932)

** (out of 4)

Standard "B" Western of its era has Tim McCoy playing a man named Tim who has his family ranch stolen from him by the crooked Bob Russell (Wheeler Oakman).

TWO-FISTED LAW is pretty much like every other "B" Western that was made around this era. It's pretty amazing how many films would deal with a person shot in the back and the wrong person being arrested or some crooked deal that causes someone to lose a ranch. This film here, like most of them, is mildly entertaining but there's no doubt that if you're wanting a classic this here isn't that.

If you're a fan of McCoy then you'll find him charming here as he plays it pretty straight like normal. I would be lying if I said he was one of my favorite cowboy stars from this era but he's at least mildly entertaining. Once again John Wayne and Walter Brennan are here together, although neither one makes that much of an impact. TWO-FISTED LAW has the typical shoot-outs and chases but there's nothing here that separates it from all the rest.

Middling programmer

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 20 December 2019]

TWO FISTED LAW is a cheapie western from the early 1930s, running barely an hour in length. The hero is Tim McCoy, a one-time cowboy star, although viewers today will better recognise John Wayne as (inevitably) Duke, a good-natured and wholesome cowboy ally. The tale is a familiar one about an evil landowner setting up our hero who has to then fight to clear his name, and there are the usual twists to expect along the way, although not quite as much action as you'd think. Not bad, but definitely middling.

A Cowboy Cheated Out of His Ranch

[Uriah43 · 5/10 · 2 September 2020]

Born and raised on a ranch that he eventually inherits from his dad, "Tim Clark" (Tim McCoy) is despondent over the fact that he has to turn it over to a man named "Bob Russell" (Wheeler Oakman) who reneged on a promise concerning the payment of a loan given to him. So with only a horse and a little bit of money left he leaves the ranch and sets out for an old silver mine in the hope of possibly striking it rich there. Two years pass and being a corrupt and greedy person Bob Russell has now set his sights on a ranch owned by Tim's sweetheart "Betty Owen" (Alice Day). So using the same dirty tactics as before he makes it as difficult as possible for Betty to make ends meet and when she is struggling financially he offers her a loan-and then demands payment. However, it's at this time that Tim shows up with some money and an incriminating story which Bob Russell simply cannot allow to be told. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a solid, old-fashioned Western which manages to stand the test of time for the most part. To that extent, although John Wayne (as Tim's ranch hand "Duke") is featured his role is definitely secondary to that of both Tim McCoy and Wheeler Oakman. Be that as it may, as stated earlier this was a decent film all things considered and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Energetic horse opera

[shakercoola · 5/10 · 30 July 2019]

An American romance; A story about a rancher who sets out to expose a gang of crooked cattle dealers who swindled him out of his property rights. This is a B-film production relying on fast-pace and a plot that provides an excuse for many horse riding sequences as distraction. Otherwise, it stutters along suffering its trite dialogue. There is occasional stilted acting too. Tim McCoy in oversized hat plays his part diplomatically and sympathetically, endearing the viewer. John Wayne provides a brief squeeze of zest as a youthful sidekick, but otherwise hardly figures. Wheeler Oakman plays the rotter splendidly.

Good Tim McCoy Western

[FightingWesterner · 7/10 · 17 December 2009]

After losing his ranch to a crooked moneylender, Tim McCoy leaves town to become a silver miner, returning some time later with a plan to save a lady friend's ranch and possibly take back his own, only to become a murder suspect.

Although an enjoyable western with a determined performance by McCoy, this is mainly notable for a supporting role featuring John Wayne, who despite having a few starring turns, isn't given anything to do even though he's second billed!

Third billed Walter Brennan fares much better as a corrupt sheriff's deputy.

"A coyote never changes his bark".

[classicsoncall · 5/10 · 7 June 2015]

Old time Western movie fans get an unexpected treat in this Tim McCoy oater - future A-listers John Wayne and Walter Brennan are both on hand to lend support. Wayne's character goes by the unusual name of 'Duke' - who would have guessed that? Meanwhile Brennan finds himself cast as a villainous sheriff's deputy, coming on screen about the time Wayne disappears from the story.

The opening credits list the name of Kurt Kempler relative to 'Continuity', so I made it a point to see if he did his job or not in regards to the story. As with many of these B Westerns from the Thirties, continuity is one of the last things on anyone's mind during filming and true to form, this one was no exception. For example, right after Tim Clark (McCoy) loses his ranch, he's left with no earthly possessions other than his horse, so he decides to go silver prospecting. A subsequent scene shows him guiding his mount and another pack horse through rough country, followed immediately by another scene in which he's shown riding along with no more pack animal. What happened there?

Here's another one - recall when Tim Clark shows up following the express office robbery, town villain Russell (Wheeler Oakman) remarks on his 'new' bullet wound. Tim was shot in the shoulder a few days earlier and he was wearing a shirt, so how could Russell know he had been shot with no outward appearance of it's effect?

Another instance I got a kick out of occurred when Tim is back at the express office with the sheriff and Russell henchman Zeke Yokum (Richard Alexander). Attempting to sort out clues about the robbery, Tim casually looks down, and there on the floor happens to be a piece of paper with a boot print on it that matches the metal heel mark on Yokum's boot. With the robbery having occurred a couple days earlier, why wouldn't the sheriff or anyone else have noticed it before? At least in Sheriff Malcolm's (Tully Marshall) case, you might chalk it up to old age. At the time of filming, the actor was sixty eight years old and looking every bit of it. You have to wonder why the town couldn't find a younger lawman. And by the way, that boot heel impression on the piece of paper was somewhat laughable, it could have been made by any boot!

But I guess stuff like this didn't matter too much back in the day. These films were churned out in a matter of days and then it was on to the next one. However there was one interesting element here that I found kind of fascinating actually. It was when Tim McCoy took off on his horse after outlaw Russell, and his horse nearly stumbled before catching himself and getting upright again to continue the chase. If I had to guess, the horse might have been auditioning a near fall for a larger part in the next picture.

Two-Fisted Law

[CinemaSerf · 5/10 · 20 March 2024]

This is actually quite a fast-paced little story - thing is, though, the plot has been more crochéd together rather than knitted; and the holes can be a bit annoying at times. The plot is pretty old hat; grasping landowner sets up the hero (Tim McCoy) who has to clear his name to get the ranch and the gal. It has been made on a shoestring, with lots of film run at double speed to accelerate the effects of the frequent horse chases. There are a few, limited, appearances from John Wayne as his amiable sidekick but Alice Day is just plain annoying as the feisty dame and McCoy has all the charisma of a beermat. I love all these 1930s Westerns, and this is no better/worse than many. Kills an hour.

Excellent cast, generally good dialog, great directing

[morrisonhimself · 8/10 · 27 February 2011]

Though there seem to be some script holes, generally this is well written with some very good dialog.

Tim McCoy was one of the best cowboys and was also a pretty good actor.

As noted elsewhere, John Wayne was second billed, but had only a small part. Wallace MacDonald, as his buddy, does more, but his constant use of "y'all" to one person is one of the script's major flaws.

As sheriff, Tully Marshall has one of his best roles. It is well written and very well played.

Alice Day -- billed as "Alice Fay" on the DVD I own, from Canadian Disc Plaza, on a "Classic Westerns" collection of supposedly John Wayne movies -- is the least capable of the cast, but even she brightens up as the story progresses.

Bad guys Wheeler Oakman and Richard Alexander also shone and Walter Brennan, as usual, stood out in one of his early appearances.

Director D. Ross Lederman showed a lot of skill in his framing and camera angles. He was held in high-enough esteem to have stayed busy nearly his entire life with dozens of movies and dozens more TV shows.

I highly recommend "Two-Fisted Law," despite the pointless generic title.

Okay Oater

[dougdoepke · 5 August 2015]

All in all, it's a decent oater, more plot-heavy than most, but nothing special. Seems Clark's (McCoy) lost his ranch to swindler Russell (Oakman) and now bad guy Russell wants to finagle good girl Betty's (Day) ranch away from her. And if that's not enough, he's also trying to frame Clark for robbery and murder. Plus he's got help from crooked deputy Bendix (Brennan). Good thing Clark's a pretty good sneaky prospector. There's some good hard riding, mostly through familiar LA terrain, but not much fast shooting or flying fists. Mc Coy, of course, makes a good hard-eyed hero, and get a load of that 50-gallon hat that tops anything in movies! And where did they get his absolutely stunning white horse that's the equal of Trigger or Silver in sheer looks. On the other hand, Wayne fans will be disappointed since his screen time is sparse, but already he shows the youthful charisma that Lone Star and Mascot would wisely feature. Still, I could have done with less talk and more scenery and action, but the mix is still enough to keep this now Front Row Geezer happy.

"Two-Fisted Law" is a Multi-Faceted Western Treat!

[glennstenb · 8/10 · 3 February 2021]

Plenty of reviews of "Two-Fisted Law" show up here and they cover the film well. I normally don't submit reviews for run-of-the-mill, much reviewed B-westerns, but I herewith wish to recognize and emphasize the skilled directing and camera work performed by director D. Ross Lederman. The framing, angling, and camera racking is a marvel to witness, and I will be watching the film again merely to enjoy a return visit to this component. Right from the opening scene, where the film's skullduggery is established, the viewer is signalled that he or she can anticipate a well-composed and directed film.

The movie's second scene is truly remarkable for a B-Western, as it captures and portrays straightforwardly, and with unaffected poignancy, the predicament that Tim McCoy and his two friends find themselves in. This happens not only because of the well-delivered scripted words and the portrayals by McCoy, Wallace MacDonald, and John Wayne, but very much also because of the camera's measured, gentle, and involved recording of the action. The scene goes on for several minutes, with dramatic and reflective emotions on display. This scene then segues to a scene where McCoy further discusses his predicament with actress Alice Day's character. Although Miss Day is not the most polished of actresses, the weighty pathos portrayed by the four characters in scenes two and three is so deftly established that the viewer totally becomes eager for wanting to witness all the action to come, whatever it may be.

The film then moves into the anticipated action and resolution mode, and does it well, too, as might be expected. The cinematic treats are not over, however, as one more beautifully performed extended dramatic scene towards the end unspools, this one involving Wheeler Oakman and Walter Brennan. Retreating to a bench in front of the saloon, the two men have a weighty discussion bearing on their actual survival, acted well and captured magnificently.

Very much enjoyed, this little two-fisted western film has a lot to enjoy for the film buff. Please have a look!

B-Western

[Single-Black-Male · 5 February 2004]

In 1932, the 25 year old John Wayne went down poverty row with the independent production companies. In this film, he developed his fist fight scenarios, adding a bit of humour to his acting as well as drawing out his romantic side.

McCoy Wayne Give Two Fists From The Two Best

[frank4122 · 10/10 · 10 July 2019]

The charisma of Tim McCoy and John Wayne carried most of this high energy film, even though there's not much script from a very young Duke. The henchmen's henchman Wheeler Oakman takes the film and action by storm from the get go by literally stealing Tim's ranch right out from under him and that's only for starters. He adds insult to injury by going after his girl, bathing beauty Alice Day and her ranch. Great classic actor from the silents and talkies, Tully Marshall is check mated and his deputy, the great Walter Brennan may be playing for the other team. Also great to see Richard Alexander with 307 screen appearances appear with this wonderful cast. I really loved the villains and heroes in this one as they carried the suspense magnificently to the very end.