Tonight's Movie: Prairie Law (1940)

PRAIRIE LAW is another very enjoyable George O'Brien RKO Western, teaming O'Brien with frequent leading lady Virginia Vale.

This time around O'Brien plays Brill Austin, a rancher helping some homesteaders, including lovely Priscilla (Vale), with water rights after the bad guys sell the newcomers land without access to water.

It all gets a little complicated, with shenanigans involving cattle rustling, fake elections, and moving the county seat, but Brill and his friends soon set matters right and by the end he's also won pretty Priscilla.

It's an action-packed 59 minutes. Along the way there's a scene with some lovely Western music, and there's also a clever, amusing sequence where a jury conducts its deliberations while also taking part in a shootout.

The cast includes J. Farrell MacDonald, Dick Hogan, Cy Kendall, Paul Everton, Henry Hall, and Monte Montague. Hand Worden has a small role as a man buying land.

In Boyd Magers' WESTERNS WOMEN Virginia Vale recalled Slim Whitaker, who plays O'Brien's sidekick Silent, as "Another very fine man...he always played his character very well."

More quotes from Vale about her experiences working on the O'Brien Westerns can be found here and here. She had nothing but good things to say about O'Brien, director David Howard, and the other actors she worked with.

Some fascinating trivia about Virginia Vale is that after her film career, she served for decades as a competition judge for the U.S. Figure Skating Assocation. The Los Angeles Figure Skating Club published an obituary for Vale in their December 2006 newsletter, The Ice Monitor.

Cinematography of PRAIRIE LAW was by J. Roy Hunt. IMDb also says there was uncredited photography by Harry J. Wild.

PRAIRIE LAW isn't yet on DVD, but I'm hoping the Warner Archive will release a second collection with the rest of the six movies teaming O'Brien with Virginia Vale, since three of them are already available in a very nice set.

PRAIRIE LAW been shown on Turner Classic Movies.

February 2016 Update: PRAIRIE LAW is now available on DVD from the Warner Archive in the nine-film George O'Brien Western Collection.

June 2016 Update: My review of PRAIRIE LAW in the George O'Brien Western Collection is here.

Previous reviews of George O'Brien-Virginia Vale Westerns: THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939), LEGION OF THE LAWLESS (1940), BULLET CODE (1940), and TRIPLE JUSTICE (1940). Now that I've seen PRAIRIE LAW, the only one of O'Brien and Vale's joint films which I haven't tracked down is STAGE TO CHINO (1940).

Coming to DVD: George O'Brien Western Collection

It's no secret here that I'm a huge fan of George O'Brien and that I especially love his RKO B Westerns.

It thus made my day to learn that the Warner Archive has a blockbuster nine-film George O'Brien Western Collection on the way in February!

The set is a sequel to the Archive's O'Brien Collection of a few years ago consisting of three films costarring Virginia Vale.

There's not a listing yet at the Warner Archive site, but Import CDs has the details, which I'm sure will be of great interest to my fellow "B" Western fans.

The set is due for release on February 23rd, with the following titles:

LAWLESS VALLEY (1938) with Kay Sutton

ARIZONA LEGION (1939) with Laraine Day (seen below right)

TROUBLE IN SUNDOWN (1939) with Rosalind Keith

RACKETEERS OF THE RANGE (1939) with Marjorie Reynolds

TIMBER STAMPEDE (1939) with Marjorie Reynolds

THE FIGHTING GRINGO (1939) with Lupita Tovar

BULLET CODE (1940) with Virginia Vale (seen below left)

PRAIRIE LAW (1940) with Virginia Vale

STAGE TO CHINO (1940) with Virginia Vale

Click the hyperlinked titles above for my past reviews.

I've been hoping for these Virginia Vale films ever since I fell in love with the first set, and to have so many other titles released simultaneously is amazing!

For those who are wondering which O'Brien RKO Westerns have yet to come to DVD, there are two more films he made with Laraine Day, BORDER G-MAN (1938) and PAINTED DESERT (1938), plus GUN LAW (1938) with Rita Oehmen (mother of Charmian Carr of THE SOUND OF MUSIC).

It should also be noted that THE RENEGADE RANGER (1938), costarring Tim Holt, is part of the Tim Holt Western Classics Collection, Volume 1.

Now if we could only get a final set of Tim Holt's not-yet-on-DVD RKO Westerns! But that's a wish for another day.

Thanks to John Knight for the great tip!

Update: Here are my new reviews of all the films from the set, LAWLESS VALLEY (1938), RACKETEERS OF THE RANGE (1939), TIMBER STAMPEDE (1939), TROUBLE IN SUNDOWN (1939), ARIZONA LEGION (1939), THE FIGHTING GRINGO (1939), BULLET CODE (1940), PRAIRIE LAW (1940), and STAGE TO CHINO (1940).

Tonight's Movie: Bullet Code (1940) - A Warner Archive DVD Review

BULLET CODE (1940), a favorite George O'Brien Western, is one of nine titles in the George O'Brien Western Collection. The set was recently released by the Warner Archive.

O'Brien teamed with actress Virginia Vale for six films, half of which were previously released in a three-film George O'Brien Collection, also available from the Archive. Their remaining films are all included in this brand-new set.

O'Brien had some excellent leading ladies, including Marjorie Reynolds and Laraine (Johnson) Day, but I especially enjoy the pairing of O'Brien and Vale, whose chemistry has a little extra spark to it. Indeed, in an interview Vale once described O'Brien as "a gem of a fellow," and she clearly loved working with him.

The talented Vale could sing and, tired of the dresses from RKO's wardrobe department, she even designed her wardrobe for another O'Brien Western, STAGE TO CHINO (1940)! She was also a competitive figure skater in the early '40s, and after retiring from films in 1945, she spent over 50 years as a judge for the U.S. Figure Skating Association.

In this 58-minute film, O'Brien plays Steven Holden, a cattle drive foreman who accidentally shoots young Bud Mathews (Robert Stanton, later known as Kirby Grant), or so he thinks. Bud, who had gotten into trouble colluding with some cattle rustlers, was really killed by some bad guys who, as it happens, were working for the banker (Walter Miller) trying to steal Bud's father's ranch!

Steve goes to visit Bud's father (Howard Hickman) and sister Molly (Vale) and immediately pitches in to help save their ranch and bring the villains to justice. The bad guys include frequent O'Brien villain Harry Woods, always so good as a heavy.

I view BULLET CODE as a model "B" Western, fast-moving and engaging, with good action scenes, a bit of comedy, a little music, and a touch of romance. What more could a fan want?

For more background on this film, including quotes by Virginia Vale, please visit my 2013 review.

BULLET CODE was directed by David Howard. The movie was shot in black and white by Harry J. Wild.

The supporting cast includes Slim Whitaker, William Haade, and Bob Burns. Musicians in the movie's first scene included Spade Cooley on the fiddle.

Howard Hickman, who plays Virginia Vale's father, played countless doctors, judges, professors, and military officers in his long career. GONE WITH THE WIND fans may recognize him, as the year previous to BULLET CODE, Hickman played John Wilkes, the owner of Twelve Oaks and father to Ashley (Leslie Howard).

Previous reviews of films in the George O'Brien Western Collection: LAWLESS VALLEY (1938), RACKETEERS OF THE RANGE (1939), TIMBER STAMPEDE (1939), and TROUBLE IN SUNDOWN (1939).

The BULLET CODE print is for the most part very good. There was one brief scene which was noticeably darker and rougher than the others. There are no extras.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD collection. Warner Archive releases are MOD (manufactured on demand) and may be ordered from the Warner Archive Collection Store at Amazon and from other online retailers.

Tonight's Movie: Triple Justice (1940)

TRIPLE JUSTICE is a superior George O'Brien Western. It follows THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939) and LEGION OF THE LAWLESS (1940) as the concluding film in a three-film O'Brien Westerns set from the Warner Archive.

I smiled with anticipation as TRIPLE JUSTICE began with the familiar beeping RKO logo, followed by a sharp-looking credits sequence which made clear that this would be yet another gorgeous O'Brien print from the Archive. This black and white movie, shot by J. Roy Hunt, looks terrific, and I'm so appreciative of the quality presentation a "B" Western like this receives from the Archive.

The tale begins when Brad Henderson (O'Brien) arrives in town for the wedding of his best friend, Sheriff Bill Gregory (LeRoy Mason) to Susan (Peggy Shannon).  Brad is caught up in a bank robbery and mistaken for one of the outlaws. Unfortunately Sheriff Gregory is shot by the robbers and unconscious for an extended period, so he's unable to identify Brad.

Unbeknownst to Brad, the sheriff's deputy, Al Reeves (Harry Woods), is in cahoots with the outlaws, which explains why he doesn't seem very interested in seeing that Brad's name is cleared. Brad has no choice but to escape and try to clear his name. He sets out after each of the three outlaws he knows by sight -- hence the movie's title.

One of the outlaws (Malcolm McTaggart) just happens to have a charming sister, Lorna (Virginia Vale), who is so taken with the handsome "outlaw" she finds sleeping in her barn that she can't bring herself to turn him in.

TRIPLE JUSTICE squeezes a lot of story into its 66-minute running time, along with excellent location shooting and several musical numbers. Some of the movie was shot in Lone Pine, but the film's most striking sequence finds Brad trailing one of the outlaws (Paul Fix) across Death Valley. It's quite a memorable sequence.

The second half of the film is very musical, with the Lindeman Sisters as pretty senoritas singing two songs at a hacienda south of the border. Meanwhile O'Brien listens as Virginia Vale sings "Lonely Rio," cowritten by Ray Whitley and Fred Rose; although he's not in TRIPLE JUSTICE, Whitley was one of O'Brien's regular sidekicks at RKO and also starred with Vale in a series of musical shorts. Whitley's most famous composition was "Back in the Saddle Again."

This was O'Brien's last of six films with Vale and his last Western under contract to RKO. In Boyd Magers' WESTERNS WOMEN, Virginia Vale mused, "I have no real information, but I think RKO knew maybe halfway through this series of six that they were going to drop George. After all, he was 40 or 41 years old. He still had a wonderful physique, but he was no longer really slim and young, the way most of the cowboy stars were at that time. That might be one reason why, at the end of the six pictures, George and I got married in TRIPLE JUSTICE. You know, closing it out."

Vale also said that O'Brien's longtime director, David Howard, "was a very kind man. Very patient...He was a very soft-spoken man. In fact, I don't remember anybody who was connected with any of the Westerns who wasn't soft-spoken. Everybody was just polite." She said of Harry Woods, who plays the chief villain, "What a meanie he would be, always after the girl or after the mine or after something. Very good."

More of Vale's thoughts on her experiences working with George O'Brien are included in my review of BULLET CODE (1940). I highly recommend Magers' book, which has many other interesting interviews.

O'Brien has a hilarious scene with Hank Worden, who often turned up in bit roles in O'Brien's Westerns. The cast also includes Glenn Strange, Jean Del Val, Wilfred Lucas, and Robert McKenzie.

TRIPLE JUSTICE would be O'Brien's last film until after World War II, other than providing a voice for the Naval film December 7th (1943). O'Brien, who had served in the Navy during WWI, re-enlisted and was a decorated officer during WWII. After the war he continued to focus on his Naval career, serving during Korea and continuing in the Naval Reserves until the '60s. He appeared in just a handful of post-WWII films including MY WILD IRISH ROSE (1947) and John Ford's FORT APACHE (1948), SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949), and CHEYENNE AUTUMN (1964).

Previous reviews of George O'Brien "B" Westerns: THE RENEGADE RANGER (1938), GUN LAW (1938), PAINTED DESERT (1938), BORDER G-MAN (1938), ARIZONA LEGION (1939), TIMBER STAMPEDE (1939), THE FIGHTING GRINGO (1939), THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939), LEGION OF THE LAWLESS (1940), and BULLET CODE (1940).

Tonight's Movie: The Marshal of Mesa City (1939)

I've enjoyed two extremely good "B" Westerns today; PANHANDLE (1948) with Rod Cameron was followed by George O'Brien in THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939). THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY has an excellent script and performances which elevate a typical Western story far above the routine.

Jud Cronin (Leon Ames) is the evil sheriff of Mesa City, who has an obsession with schoolmarm Virginia King (Virginia Vale). Virginia doesn't appreciate the sheriff's interest, and when he steps over the line one time too many, she decides to pack up and leave town for Yuma.

The sheriff's henchmen waylay the stagecoach, causing a wreck and intending to kidnap Virginia, but fortunately retired lawman Cliff Mason (O'Brien) happens along. Cliff comes to Virginia's rescue and ends up becoming the Mesa City marshal, putting him in direct conflict with the sheriff in more ways than one.

The sheriff brings in Duke (Henry Brandon), a hired gun, to get rid of Cliff but things don't go quite as the sheriff plans...

A bare-bones description of the plot sounds like so many other Westerns of the era, but the execution is such that I watched most of the movie with a delighted smile on my face. These were characters I really enjoyed spending time with. O'Brien's a laid-back, easygoing charmer, and the villains continually underestimate him. Cliff is always thinking one step ahead, and he also manages to outdraw them every time.

O'Brien has nice chemistry with Vale, his frequent leading lady, and his relationship with the hired gun Duke is simply wonderful. The script by Jack Lait Jr. -- based on a Dudley Nichols story, THE PEACEMAKER -- sets audience expectations for Duke's character when he first comes on screen, then demolishes them in one great moment after another, with an excellent blend of action and humor. These scenes are among the best in the film. The final shootout, which takes place in a fog of smoke, is a masterpiece of elegant, economical storytelling.

It took a bit before I realized that Henry Brandon, the young hired gun, was "Chief Scar" from John Ford's THE SEARCHERS (1956). O'Brien himself had a long relationship with John Ford, including THE IRON HORSE (1924), FORT APACHE (1948), SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949), and CHEYENNE AUTUMN (1964), so it was great to see these two actors sharing screen time together in the '30s. This may have been a "B" Western, but it featured top talent, with Ames and Vale also just right in their roles.

The supporting cast includes Mary Gordon, Lloyd Ingraham, Slim Whitaker, and Bob Burns.

THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY was directed by David Howard and filmed by Harry J. Wild. It runs 62 minutes.

THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY is available from the Warner Archive in a three-film collection of George O'Brien Westerns. All three films costar Virginia Vale.

THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY is also shown from time to time on Turner Classic Movies.

Tonight's Movie: Stage to Chino (1940)

It's been over a year since I last watched a Western starring the appealing team of George O'Brien and Virginia Vale. Tonight I finally caught STAGE TO CHINO (1940), the last of their half-dozen films together for RKO which I needed to see.

In this action-packed film Caroline (Vale) is trying to secure a mail contract for her stage line. She's being plotted against by her Uncle Charlie (Carl Stockdale) and Dude Elliott (Roy Barcroft).

O'Brien plays Dan Clark, an undercover postal inspector who gets to the bottom of the nefarious goings-on, unexpectedly aided by a traveling salesman (Hobart Cavanaugh). The sooner Dan solves the ongoing crimes, the quicker he can spend his time romancing lovely Caroline!

This is a typically enjoyable O'Brien-Vale entry, with perhaps O'Brien's most impressive stuntwork of the series. During a big barroom brawl sequence he jumps up on the bar and swings from a lantern! Even more impressive, he transfers from one moving stagecoach to another, and it's shot in such a way that there is no doubt it's the athletic O'Brien doing his own stunt work.

In Boyd Magers' book WESTERNS WOMEN, Vale confirms that O'Brien did the stagecoach stunt work himself and said, "I never saw him use a double. He was a superb athlete and very strong. He picked me up like I was a feather."

Vale also said STAGE TO CHINO was her favorite of their six films together. She liked her role, and what's more, she convinced the producer to let her design her dresses! To that point she'd always been assigned generic clothes from the wardrobe department. She made some sketches, chose the fabric, and the wardrobe department made them up for her. (There's an especially notable scene where she models a lovely new dress for O'Brien.) She said, "They were reused, I've seen them time and time again in Westerns." I wonder if any of them turned up worn by the leading ladies in Tim Holt Westerns!

The supporting cast of STAGE TO CHINO includes Glenn Strange, William Haade, Harry Cording, Martin Garralaga, and Ethan Laidlaw. Music is provided by Pals of the Golden West, headed by the yodeling Nora Lou Martin.

STAGE TO CHINO was directed by Edward Killy and filmed by J. Roy Hunt. The movie runs 59 minutes.

In response to a letter I sent the Warner Archive for their podcast, George Feltenstein and his colleagues indicated that at some point in the future there will be more George O'Brien Westerns on DVD. Hopefully the three O'Brien-Vale Westerns which aren't yet out will be in a future collection.

Reviews of all five of the other George O'Brien-Virginia Vale films: THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939), LEGION OF THE LAWLESS (1940), BULLET CODE (1940), PRAIRIE LAW (1940), and TRIPLE JUSTICE (1940).

February 2016 Update: STAGE TO CHINO is now available on DVD from the Warner Archive in the nine-film George O'Brien Western Collection!

June 2016 Update: My review of STAGE TO CHINO in the George O'Brien Western Collection is here.

Tonight's Movie: Lawless Valley (1938) - A Warner Archive DVD Review

Few DVD releases this year will make me as happy as the George O'Brien Western Collection, just out from the Warner Archive.

It's a three-disc, nine-film set of O'Brien RKO Westerns. I described the set in detail when it was first announced in January.

The O'Brien Westerns are simply very well-made, good-looking films which provide a terrific hour's entertainment for anyone who enjoys the genre. They have especially appealing leading ladies, including first and foremost Virginia Vale and Laraine (Johnson) Day.

Best of all there's the star himself, George O'Brien. O'Brien is a superb actor -- this is, after all, the star of the silent classic SUNRISE (1927) -- and he always seems to be having a grand time in these films. His sunny good nature and sense of humor are some of the things I like best about O'Brien and these films.

The movies also show off his notable strength and riding ability, doing his own stunts; for instance, LAWLESS VALLEY includes a scene where O'Brien jumps on a horse without benefit of stirrups, riding bareback. As noted by leading lady Virginia Vale, who is in three of the films in this set, "I never saw him use a double."

LAWLESS VALLEY is a typically enjoyable 59-minute O'Brien film. He plays Larry Rhodes, paroled from prison a little over a year into a five-year sentence.

Larry had been framed (what else did you expect?) for a stagecoach robbery, and he heads home to clear his name, as well as that of his father. Larry's father supposedly committed suicide rather than be arrested, but Larry knows he was murdered.

Also waiting for Larry back home is Norma Rogers (Kay Sutton), who is being forced by Tom Marsh (Fred Kohler Sr.) to marry his son Jeff (Fred Kohler Jr.). The casting of the Kohlers as father and son was a nice touch; sadly the senior Kohler passed away before this film was released.

Larry is aided by Bob North (Walter Miller), whom he met when hitching a ride home from prison on a railcar, as well as by Tim Wade (George MacQuarrie) and Norma's loyal friend Fresno (Lew Kelly). I was pleased to correctly guess a significant plot point regarding Larry's new friend Bob.

Like some of O'Brien's other Westerns which costar singer-songwriter Ray Whitley, there's a nice musical moment in this film, as a group of black singers called the Four Tunes sing in the boxcar.

Unlike most of the O'Brien films I've seen to date, LAWLESS VALLEY is set in what I like to call "Roy Rogers Never Never Land," where the characters wear more modern dress and there are hints at modern conveniences, mixed with a more traditional Western setting.

I couldn't determine what year it was supposed to be, but there's an old truck in the background of a shot and tire tracks on the road as Larry walks home -- yet he was sent to prison for robbing a stagecoach, and everyone gets around on horseback. The suits worn by Larry and the prison warden in the opening scene seem of a "later" era, though Larry's Western clothing would fit in the old West; Norma, on the other hand, is completely in modern dresses which seem to be of the 1930s.

Chill Wills makes the first of several appearances in O'Brien's Westerns in this, playing the deputy who constantly shadows the sleazy sheriff (Earle Hodgins). Wills would later typically play O'Brien's sidekick, but here he's one of the villains.

David Howard, who directed, worked frequently with O'Brien, with their most recently reviewed collaboration being the Fox film MYSTERY RANCH (1932). Sadly, Howard, who wasn't much older than O'Brien, died in late 1941, right around the time O'Brien was heading back into the Navy; O'Brien served throughout WWII, earning decorations and retiring as captain.

The screenplay, from a story by W.C. Tuttle, was by Oliver Drake, who wrote a number of O'Brien's Westerns. Drake's decades-long writing career also included DRAGOON WELLS MASSACRE (1957), reviewed here in January.

The movie was shot in black and white by Harry J. Wild. Exteriors were shot at the Corriganville movie ranch.

For those like me who can't get enough of O'Brien's Westerns, be sure to check out the previously released George O'Brien 3-Film Collection. All three films costar the lovely Virginia Vale, and the set includes what is probably my favorite O'Brien Western, THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939).

LAWLESS VALLEY is a beautiful print. There are no extras.

Stay tuned for reviews of more O'Brien films from this set; I'll be taking a look at titles which are brand-new to me while also revisiting old favorites.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD collection. Warner Archive releases are MOD (manufactured on demand) and may be ordered from Amazon and other online retailers.

Tonight's Movies: Prairie Law (1940) and Stage to Chino (1940) - Warner Archive DVD Reviews

It's been a busy few days, which made it the perfect time to relax with more films from the Warner Archive George O'Brien Western Collection.

This time around I watched two more of O'Brien's films with Virginia Vale, PRAIRIE LAW (1940) and STAGE TO CHINO (1940). I'd seen this pair in the past, and like most of O'Brien's Westerns, they hold up very well on further acquaintance.

PRAIRIE LAW is an engaging, well-scripted tale in which O'Brien plays Brill Austin, who helps a bunch of homesteaders who have been tricked into buying land without access to water. One of the settlers is lovely Priscilla (Vale), and the pair are soon bantering and flirting in between dealing with water rights, cattle rustlers, and a fraudulent election to move the county seat.

I previously reviewed this one in 2014, and this time around I liked it just as much, if not more, than I did then. O'Brien and Vale are always fun to watch, and there's some genuinely amusing dialogue. One of my favorite bits involves a jury simultaneously conducting deliberations and participating in a shootout!

An added plus is that, as was often the case in these films, George O'Brien handled his own stunts in an extended fight sequence, including a backwards somersault and flipping someone over his shoulder.

The excellent cast includes Slim Whitaker, J. Farrell MacDonald, Dick Hogan, Cy Kendall, Paul Everton, Lloyd Ingraham Henry Hall, Monte Montague, and Hank Worden. Look for a young Darryl Hickman as a homesteader's son.

PRAIRIE LAW was directed by David Howard. It was filmed in black and white by J. Roy Hunt and the uncredited Harry J. Wild. The running time is 59 minutes.

While in PRAIRIE LAW Vale's character mostly roots from the sidelines, she has a strong role in STAGE TO CHINO as Caroline McKay, the spunky owner of a stage line. Caroline is trying to secure a mail contract, but she's being plotted against by her own uncle (Carl Stockdale) and by Dude Elliott (Roy Barcroft), who owns much of the town.

O'Brien plays Dan Clark, an undercover postal inspector, who's aided by a traveling salesman (Hobart Cavanaugh).

As I mentioned in my 2015 review, STAGE TO CHINO was Vale's favorite of her half-dozen films with O'Brien, and it's easy to see why. She had a good role, even driving a stagecoach, and in addition to that, she designed her own wardrobe! Tired of off the rack dresses from the studio wardrobe department, she made sketches and chose the fabric for dresses the wardrobe department made up for her; the dresses then went into the studio's inventory and were reused. Vale said, "I've seen them time and time again in Westerns."

O'Brien has some especially great stuntwork in this one, swinging from a chandelier and also transferring from one moving stagecoach to another, which Vale -- who was also in the shot -- later confirmed O'Brien did himself.

The STAGE TO CHINO cast includes Glenn Strange, William Haade, Harry Cording, Martin Garralaga, and Ethan Laidlaw, plus music from Nora Lou Martin and the Pals of the Golden West.

STAGE TO CHINO was directed by Edward Killy and filmed by J. Roy Hunt. It runs 59 minutes.

PRAIRIE LAW and STAGE TO CHINO are good-looking prints. There are no extras.

With this latest pair of films I've now seen seven of the nine films which comprise the George O'Brien Western Collection. Links to previous reviews of films in this set: LAWLESS VALLEY (1938), RACKETEERS OF THE RANGE (1939), TIMBER STAMPEDE (1939), TROUBLE IN SUNDOWN (1939), and BULLET CODE (1940).

The George O'Brien Western Collection is one of my all-time favorite Warner Archive releases. Fingers crossed that a final set of O'Brien's RKO Westerns will be released in the future, including the two remaining films he made with Laraine (Johnson) Day, BORDER G-MAN (1938) and PAINTED DESERT (1938), plus GUN LAW (1938) with Rita Oehmen, who was the mother of Charmian Carr of THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965)

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD collection. Warner Archive releases are MOD (manufactured on demand) and may be ordered from Amazon and other online retailers.

Tonight's Movie: Bullet Code (1940)

My happiest movie discoveries this past year would have to include George O'Brien's RKO Westerns.

O'Brien's sunny, capable cowboy persona gives the viewer an "all's right with the world" feeling, and BULLET CODE is no exception. This 58-minute film, teaming O'Brien with frequent leading lady Virginia Vale, is a strong, entertaining entry in the series.

The plot is standard Western melodrama, with the nasty banker (Walter Miller) plotting to drive rancher John Mathews (Howard Hickman) and his lovely daughter, Miss Molly (Vale), off their ranch.

Enter Steve Holden (O'Brien) and his sidekick Pop (Slim Whitaker). Steve harbors some guilt over involvement in the death of Molly's brother (Robert Stanton, aka Kirby Grant), not knowing for certain that it was actually some of the same villains working with the banker who did the deed.

Steve and Pop work to bring the bad guys to justice, while in quiet moments Steve and Molly exchange subtle glances of interest. The lovely final shot is Steve and Molly gazing at one another in the distance, clearly planning their future together on the ranch, as Mr. Mathews and Pop duet "Here Comes the Bride" on harmonica.

That story may not sound like much, but it's such fun to step into the world of one of these O'Brien Westerns for an hour. He's sort of a Western "Superman," a large man of great strength who hurls bad guys around with ease; he has an impish mischievous streak, but he's an honorable, responsible man who protects the vulnerable and won't back down from a fight.

At the same time, O'Brien's characters feel "real" and possible, rather than the stuff of fantasy. It's rather nice to be reminded that there are good men like him in the world, and I imagine the audiences of 1940, watching as war clouds gathered, must have thought so too. (This is a good place to mention that O'Brien would go on to be a decorated Naval officer during WWII, and he would serve in the Naval Reserves until the early '60s.)

This is one of six films in which O'Brien and Vale were costarred. O'Brien was also nicely teamed with Laraine (Johnson) Day and Marjorie Reynolds, but I find his movies with Vale most appealing; they have a sweet, natural chemistry together.

In Boyd Magers' fascinating book of interviews, WESTERNS WOMEN, Vale said, years later, "George was just a gem of a fellow. I thought he was just wonderful." She also said, "I never saw him use a double. He was a superb athlete and very strong. He picked me up like I was a feather."

She commented that O'Brien was "a very, very good actor...unless the scene is really serious, he played it lightly with a twinkle in his eye. Did you ever notice he hardly ever just walked out of a scene? He usually finished it with a gesture, a look, or a throw-away line, all of which were probably his idea and not in the script or suggested by the director."

I particularly noticed that "scene finishing" technique of O'Brien's in this film, such as the amused "double look" he gives Pop when the older man suggests Steve buy Molly peppermint drops, or the "What can we do?" shrug he gives Pop when they are forced to leave the Mathews ranch. These little reaction moments enable O'Brien to convey to the viewer a great deal about his character's personality within a very short running time. The stories in these "B" Westerns may be run of the mill, but the performances aren't.

BULLET CODE was directed by O'Brien's regular director, David Howard. It was filmed by Harry J. Wild at the Iverson Ranch. I've seen so many Westerns this year, it's getting so I recognize the Western streets and ranch houses which appear in movie after movie!

The supporting cast includes Harry Woods, William Haade, Bob Burns, and a group of musicians in the opening scene comprised of Spade Cooley, Johnny Luther, and Rudy Sooter.

This movie isn't out on DVD, but since the Warner Archive previously released a three-film set with half the O'Brien-Vale movies, perhaps we can look forward to another set with the rest in the future.

In the meantime, BULLET CODE has been shown on Turner Classics Movies and is likely to turn up there again at some point in the future.

February 2016 Update: BULLET CODE is now available on DVD from the Warner Archive in the nine-film George O'Brien Western Collection. My review of the DVD is here.

Previous reviews of George O'Brien "B" Westerns: THE RENEGADE RANGER (1938), GUN LAW (1938), PAINTED DESERT (1938), BORDER G-MAN (1938), ARIZONA LEGION (1939), TIMBER STAMPEDE (1939), THE FIGHTING GRINGO (1939), THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939), and LEGION OF THE LAWLESS (1940).

Tonight's Movie: Legion of the Lawless (1940)

LEGION OF THE LAWLESS is another enjoyable RKO Western starring George O'Brien.

O'Brien plays Jeff Toland, an attorney who arrives to set up a law practice in a town where the railroad is expected to pass through.

Jeff ends up in the middle of a battle between some poor townspeople and a group of self-styled "vigilantes" who are actually crooks who want to take over the town land themselves and make a fortune when the railroad arrives.

Jeff also finds romance in the person of Ellen Ives (Virginia Vale), whose father started the original vigilante group.

While not quite at the same level as O'Brien's creative and well-written THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939), LEGION OF THE LAWLESS is still a very good, entertaining "B" Western which I found fun to watch. The plot may sound standard issue, but O'Brien's intelligence and attitude raise the film to a higher level.

It's not simply that O'Brien is playing a lawyer who also happens to be strong and good with a gun, but it's O'Brien's thoughtful approach to the material that makes the difference. He comes across as a smart man who is always strategizing a step ahead. He is slow to anger, tolerantly amused by villains' idiocy for a time, yet ready to be the first to step in and act to correct injustice.

O'Brien also seems to be having a very good time; the laughter he shares with his frequent costar, Virginia Vale, is infectious. The viewer feels that both the character and O'Brien the actor are enjoying life, and that's a very attractive quality.

LEGION OF THE LAWLESS was directed by David Howard. The cinematography was by Harry J. Wild, whose credits included titles such as STATION WEST (1948) and PITFALL (1948).

The supporting cast includes Herbert Haywood, Norman Willis, Hugh Sothern, Mary Field, and Delmar Watson. The film runs 59 minutes.

LEGION OF THE LAWLESS is available in a three-film DVD set from the Warner Archive along with THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939) and TRIPLE JUSTICE (1940).

LEGION OF THE LAWLESS is also shown from time to time on Turner Classic Movies.

TCM in June: Highlights

Summer's almost here, my favorite time of year!

There's a great schedule ahead in June on Turner Classic Movies.

The June Star of the Month will be Eleanor Parker.

Over two dozen Parker films weill be shown on Monday evenings in June. I'll be taking a closer look at those titles in a couple more days.

This month's Friday Night Spotlight series will be film noir writers, hosted by Eddie Muller. I'll also be sharing info on those titles in a separate post before the series starts on Friday, June 7th.

Here's a look at some more of the interesting titles ahead on TCM in June:

...I was interested to learn earlier this year that '40s actress Linda Hayes was the mother of Cathy Lee Crosby and Lucinda Crosby. She stars with Kent Taylor in the "B" film SUED FOR LIBEL on June 1st; the entire evening lineup is devoted to the theme of libel! Only on TCM.

...The summer series Essentials Jr. starts off on Sunday, June 2nd, with a terrific choice for kids of all ages, THE COURT JESTER (1956). All well-rounded children should know how to recite "The vessel with the pestle has the pellet with the poison, the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!"

...June 3rd is the birthday of Paulette Goddard. Titles on the schedule include MODERN TIMES (1936), THE WOMEN (1939), THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940), and SECOND CHORUS (1940). The last title is probably the weakest of Fred Astaire's musicals, but Paulette is one of the things that makes watching the film worth the time for Astaire completists.

...Tuesday, June 4th, may be my favorite day on the schedule. It's filled with movies starring "B" Western leading lady Virginia Vale, many of which team her with George O'Brien. I just saw them in THE MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Five of the six films O'Brien and Vale made together will be shown, as well as one she made with Tim Holt, ROBBERS OF THE RANGE (1941), and there are other Vale "B" titles too!

...June 5th celebrates one of my all-time favorites, Robert Taylor, including a couple of my top Taylor picks, HIGH WALL (1947) and WESTWARD THE WOMEN (1951).

...D Day is being commemorated with war films shown on June 6th. Earlier this year Jacqueline wrote about the Army Air Corps training film RESISTING ENEMY INTERROGATION (1944) at Another Old Movie Blog. It has an interesting cast including Lloyd Nolan, Arthur Kennedy, and Craig Stevens. How great that TCM is going to show it!

...CAREFREE (1938) is one of my favorite Fred and Ginger movies; it feels more like a screwball comedy than a musical -- though it's got plenty of music too -- and I find it grand fun. It's on June 7th.

...One of my favorite songs from Busby Berkeley's Warner Bros. musicals is "I Only Have Eyes For You." That song originated in DAMES (1934), showing on Sunday, June 9th. DAMES stars Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, and Joan Blondell.

...Frank Lovejoy and Edmond O'Brien in the same movie, directed by Ida Lupino? I need to catch up with THE HITCH-HIKER (1953), which airs on June 11th.

...One of the more amusing themes on TCM this month is "Working Women Who Surrender in the End." Half a dozen films fitting this description will be shown the evening of June 11th, including Ruth Chatterton and George Brent in FEMALE (1933) -- some of the set designs in that one have to be seen to be believed -- and Joan Crawford and Melvyn Douglas in THEY ALL KISSED THE BRIDE (1942).

...On June 12th the theme is "Lana Turner in the '50s," including IMITATION OF LIFE (1959), THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952), and LATIN LOVERS (1953). The latter is colorful MGM escapism, costarring Ricardo Montalban and John Lund.

...Preston Foster and Basil Rathbone star in THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (1935) on June 13th. I have trouble imagining Preston Foster in a costume drama such as that, but as a Foster fan I guess I need to check it out!

...The theme is pre-Code newspaper photographers on June 17th, with back to back showings of William Gargan in HEADLINE SHOOTER (1933) and James Cagney in PICTURE SNATCHER (1933). HEADLINE SHOOTER is the only film I know of offhand which features the Long Beach Earthquake; I'd love to know if there are more.

...A primetime tribute to Sammy Cahn on June 18th includes one of my all-time favorite musicals, the underappreciated TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT (1945). Rita Hayworth, Lee Bowman, and Janet Blair star in a story set during the London Blitz.

...A TCM programmer had fun lining up several movies with one-word titles for June 20th. The films shown include Gail Patrick and Anita Louise in RENO (1940), Humphrey Bogart and Alexis Smith in CONFLICT (1945), and Dick Powell in CORNERED (1945).

...A lineup of Jane Russell movies on June 21st includes her first film, THE OUTLAW (1943), followed by YOUNG WIDOW (1946) with Louis Hayward and Faith Domergue, plus two films with Gilbert Roland, THE FRENCH LINE (1954) and UNDERWATER! (1955).

...CALAMITY JANE (1953) is one of my very favorite Doris Day movies. She plays the title role, costarring with Howard Keel as Wild Bill Hickok. The terrific score includes "Secret Love." It airs June 23rd.

...I really enjoyed the trio of Laraine Day, Lana Turner, and Susan Peters as WACs in the WWII film KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY (1945). It will be shown June 25th.

...Marie Windsor and Richard Denning star in DOUBLE DEAL (1950) on June 26th. I've never heard of it but Marie Windsor makes any movie more interesting.

...Patricia Medina, also known as Mrs. Joseph Cotten, passed away last year. On June 27th TCM honors Medina by showing several titles in which she appeared, including PIRATES OF TRIPOLI (1955) with Paul Henreid, DRUMS OF TAHITI (1954) with Dennis O'Keefe, THE BLACK KNIGHT (1954) with Alan Ladd, and THE LADY AND THE BANDIT (1951) with Louis Hayward.

...LURED (1947) is a very entertaining Douglas Sirk thriller starring George Sanders and Lucille Ball. It will be shown in the early morning hours on June 30th.

...MGM musical fans will want to catch GIVE A GIRL A BREAK (1953) on June 30th. It stars Marge and Gower Champion, Debbie Reynolds, and the young and adorable Bob Fosse.

Be sure to check out TCM's complete schedule. Happy viewing!

Update: For information on classics on Fox Movie Channel this month, please visit Fox Movie Channel in June: Highlights.