Lawless Range (1935)

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

John Wayne sets out to aid an old friend of his father, who disappeared amid a series of attacks by bandits and a bit of mysterious business involving the local bank. Along the way, he's deputized and leads a revolt against Yakima Cannutt's villainous gang of outlaws.One of a few Paul Malvern produced John Wayne vehicles, released by Republic Pictures before his becoming a full-fledged Republic contract star, it's nothing you haven't seen before, though it's easygoing enough entertainment, with a few nice location shots, a few rousing action sequences and and some good songs.Speaking of songs, there's a few ludicrously dubbed cowboy tunes, featuring a deep-voiced singer, lip-synced by Wayne, while strumming an old guitar. Didn't they learn their lesson with the Duke's previous turn as "Singing Sandy"?

This is another great "little" western from John Wayne made in 1935. Even though most of the crew (director, writer and even the music) were connected with Lone Star pictures, it was released by Republic during a brief takeover.John Middleton (John Wayne) gives up his rodeo dreams to help his dad's friend Hank. Stopping a fight he is arrested by the town sheriff, who really wants him to go to a little town incognito, to see who is holding the town to ransom.After jumping from a cliff edge into a river to avoid a gang of outlaws, he saves Ann (Sheila Mannors) from crossfire. After being mistaken for one of the Burns Gang, he is almost lynched but Ann intervenes and saves his life. This film is so action packed - the river scene is pretty exciting.The town is in a state of siege, as the outlaw gang holds up all wagons bringing food to the town. John takes a hand in bringing in supplies and surprises the bandits with a trick or two of his own. His next job is to round up the rancher's cattle and take them to market.Within 56 minutes there is a ton of action and John Wayne even has time to sing two songs. Distinctive Bob Kortman is spotted in the first scene as a "clocker" timing John Wayne as he ropes a steer. Yakima Canutt is the leader of the outlaws.

I'm not sure how John Wayne got to be working for Republic in this one shot deal. He was with Monogram at the time this was made and it even has some of the cast that was associated with his B westerns from Mongram like Yakima Canutt and Earl Dwire. Nevertheless this is a Republic production and I guess the Duke really did like the sound of that word because he soon did sign with that studio long term.In Lawless Range John Wayne is the son of a friend of someone having some real outlaw problems on his ranch. Wayne goes to investigate and along the way picks up a Deputy Marshal's badge and an undercover identity of a wanted outlaw. This is a particularly vicious group of outlaws. There not into just rustling a few steers, they've put up a blockade and want to starve all the ranchers out of the valley. If however you can't figure out that it's the town banker Frank McGlyn, Jr. who's the villain of the piece than you haven't seen too many B westerns from the Thirties. John Wayne in fact says it, he had McGlyn pegged from the gitgo and any aficionado of the B western will agree.This is also one of those few westerns where Wayne was given a singing cowboy role. In an obviously dubbed voice Wayne warbles a few forgettable cowboy ditties. Now granted I'm seeing the film 71 years after it was made and John Wayne's voice and mannerism are universally known. But back in 1935 when he wasn't a national icon, yet I can't believe anybody thought that was his real singing voice.I guess since this was his first film for Republic pictures Lawless Range has a historic significance of some note, but only dedicated fans of the Duke should bother with it.

An early b/w "two reeler" John Wayne western. It is a fun shoot 'em up, that is pure escapism. Don't look for a deep meaning. The stunt work in these early John Wayne/Yakima Canutt films is the equal of any, including those films being made today.