Big Calibre (1935) User Reviews

Not one of Steele's best, that's for sure!

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 17 January 2019]

While he is pretty much forgotten today, Bob Steele was a rather prolific B-western star. In some ways, he was an unlikely star, as he wasn't as handsome or tall as many of his competition...but he also was an expert horseman and seemed a little more realistic than the singing cowboys. Because of this, I was excited to see "Big Calibre"...though sadly, it's not among his better films and my score of 3 might just be a bit generous.

When the film begins, Bob's father has $60,000. Soon, an unknown person tosses poison gas into the room...killing the father and stealing the money. When Bob goes to the local assayer to try to learn what the poison was, it turns out he is the murderer...and he soon escapes. Here is where the film gets really, really bad....the killer takes up a new identity in a new town and he looks 100% ridiculous with his giant false teeth, glasses and the rest of his get-up. Wearing a pair of plastic glasses with a giant nose and false mustache on it would have seemed more believable than this getup!! It was thoroughly ridiculous and no person with decent vision would ever look at the guy without immediately seeing he's in a cheap disguise....and that essentially ruins the movie. Sure...poison gas out west is also stupid...but seeing Bob and the rest look and not notice the killer...that is a whole new level of dumb. One of the dumber plots in B-movie history....and not worthy of Steele.

By the way, I did divulge the killer's identity...so I marked that this contains a spoiler. However, this will come as no surprise to anyone who watches the movie!!!

A Poor and Outre Entry to the Bob Steele Catalogue

[boblipton · 4/10 · 22 June 2018]

Bob Steele's father is murdered by William Quinn with a mysterious fuming poison. Quinn also steals $60,000 in cash. Steele and sidekick John Elliott go looking for Quinn and a year later, wind up in Gladstone. There, Quinn (wearing a grotesque disguise) in cooperation with Forest Taylor have just murdered Peggy Campbell's father and stolen the mortgage money. When Bob spots her robbing the mail truck and then falling off her horse, he goes to get her some water, only to discover that she has stolen his horse and he is thrown in jail for robbing the mail and the murder.

It's not one of the better westerns that Steele's father, Robert Bradbury directed him in. Compared to the ones with George Hayes in the company, the line readings are pretty poor; Bob and his leading lady believe each other far too readily under the circumstances, even if it is a one-hour B western, and the action in the movie is limited to the last ten minutes. Although Steele does ride his horse down what looks to be a very steep mountainside at speed, I strongly suspect it was achieved by cameraman William Hyer adjusting the camera tripod and having Steele ride his horse over flat ground.

In fact, the most interesting part of the movie is at a dance just before the action ending, when Si Jenks has a sizable bit, calling dances and mugging, and there is a bit of pie-throwing. In short, this one looks like it was thrown together hastily to fill a hole in the release schedule. While it will probably be satisfactory to fans of Bob Steele, it won't win him any.

Expect the unexpected

[frank4122 · 10/10 · 30 March 2020]

This is a real offbeat oater but one with plenty of suspense and action to make it very enjoyable. Steele's dad is killed by the mad chemist William Quinn then he finds what could be the remains of Peggy Campbell's dad, or did he? The suspense is only mounting from here. Another mystery is who's the anonymous benefactor that breaks him out of jail using corrosive gas. John Elliott, Si Jenks and Georgia O'Dell add great comic relief and Frank Ball and Earle Dwire add the great reliable acting. Character actor Forrest Taylor plays it true to form as the scheming banker. Otherwise, the only thing to expect from Big Calibre is the unexpected and that's a good thing.

You MUST see this entry!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 23 March 2018]

Not copyright 1934 by Supreme Pictures Corp. U.S. release: 8 March 1935. 54 minutes. (Available on an Alpha DVD).

SYNOPSIS: A weird but cleverly integrated mixture of western, romance, horror, science fiction and mystery elements make Big Calibre MUST viewing for fans of all five genres.

COMMENT: Elliott's make-up and his voice disguise is so perfect that it fooled even those professional "B" experts, George E. Turner and Michael H. Price, authors of Forgotten Horrors. True, director Bob Bradbury (Senior) masterfully focuses attention away from Eliott's brilliant masquerade by allowing us to penetrate the supremely obvious disguise affected by screenwriter Perry Murdock in his role of the murdering chemist. But wonderful as Murdock's impersonation is, it pales besides Elliott's whose facial make-up is not only well-nigh impenetrable but seems totally convincing. In addition, Elliott has changed his voice, his gait, his stance so credibly, we're not surprised Turner and Price were taken in by such a superb deception.

But in addition to allowing us to discover what a really outstanding actor John Elliott is, Big Calibre has many other virtues for both fans and connoisseurs. Including Battling Bob's plucky hero, Forrest Taylor's smooth-as-silk confederate, and Peggy Campbell's absolutely disarming, radiantly charming heroine.

As usual in Steele vehicles, the pace is fast and full of action - except for one long, extremely odd interlude featuring Cy Jenks, would you believe, as a dancing dance-caller!