The Star Packer (1934)

Memorable, crazy movie

Let's be realistic.

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Copyright 15 August 1934 by Monogram Pictures Corp. A Lone Star Western. No New York showcase. U.S. release: 30 July 1934. U.K. release through Pathé: 24 June 1935. Never released in Australia. 54 minutes. COMMENT: One of the best of Monogram's Lone Star series - not only action-packed and fast-moving, but utilizing an interesting cast in a fairly involving script, all filmed on a fair-sized budget. John Wayne of course is the man who packs the star. In point of fact he wears two stars in his efforts to unmask The Shadow. There's a bit of mystery as to The Shadow's identity, though this soon becomes obvious. The seasoned fan will have no trouble, and even the casual picturegoer should tumble to it sooner rather than later. Nonetheless the actor concerned puts up a good show.It's pleasing to report that not only is Wayne in top form, but that his mate Yakima Canutt has a major role in this one as the Duke's constant sidekick - an Indian named Yak. In fact Canutt is one of the chief joys of the movie, performing an astonishing number of increasingly spectacular stunts, including several leaps from horse to horse, a wagon plunge, and five or six Flying W's including one which catapults two riders off the one horse. Bradbury directs the triple action climax with all stops out. Lots of running inserts add to the excitement as a fair-sized posse rounds ups a fair-sized gang of outlaws. Locations are reasonably picturesque. And we love those whip pans! The support cast, led by slim heroine Verna Hillie, also comes over as top-notch.

I really liked this early John Wayne picture,, he teams up with Gabby Hayes, and Yakuma Cannut. going against type,, George "Gabby" Hayes plays the bad guy in this film,,, the local sheriff meats his demise,, and his friend, played by the Duke, takes on the role of the local sheriff, he teams up with his Indian partner,, played by Cannut . together they go after "The Shadow".. the find a secret command center underneath a fake covering of some sorts in the street behind a wall or something like that,, and it's the command center for all of the Shadow's activity,, love the scene where the Duke is chasing the bad guy on horseback while the villain is going downstream in a canoe,, very decent early John Wayne film.

AS THE OLD, time worn joke goes:"We saw an old Western with Gaby Hayes on Late Night TV last night and this was so old, that Gabby got the Girl!" *WE CAN ALL forgive the unknown author of this oral knee-slapper; as it did provide us with at least a mild chuckle, while, at the same time, making a point. The anachronistic miscues we can chalk up to Literary License.**WHAT IS A SHORT feature of about an hour (give or take a minute or two), provides plenty of action, a better than average story and a theme that Depression Era Matinée viewers could strongly identify with. In this case, a crime problem that was too big and nefarious for the local authorities to deal with; so enter the Feds, in the person of Duke Wayne, cast as an undercover U.S. Marshall. The New Deal saves the day!SOME OF THE factors that contribute to the movies' seeming to be even more ancient of a film are the sound track, the break-neck speed of the theme music and the extensive shooting of scenes outdoors; as well in what appear to be rather spartan, though highly realistic, indoor locales. Sheriff's Office, Meeting Hall and local Saloon all appear to have a rather frugal, yet somehow, realistic appearance about them.THERE IS AN infusion of incidental music into the action scenes that was obviously added at some later date than 1934; probably having been done by some TV film distributor, after having acquired the rights and to seek to make these LONE STAR (MONOGRAM) productions more salable to the various outlets, both local stations and cable systems.AS WE STATED earlier, this could well have take at least some inspiration from the LONE RANGER; which had premiered in the previous year of 1933 on Radio Station WXYZ, Detroit. The pairing of John Wayne and Yakima Canutt (as his "faithful Indian Companion:, 'Yak')bears a strong and seemingly more than coincidental resemblance to the Lone Ranger & Tonto.AS WITH THE rest of these Lone Star Westerns, we find this to be great escapism, highly entertaining and worthwhile. NOTE: * Veteran New York Stage Actor, George Hayes, went West to Hollywood in the wake of the 1929 Stock Market Crash, but did not become known as "Gabby" Hayes until circa 1935.NOTE ** Be sure to make sure that your Literary License is up to date and not expired!

The reason I like these matinée westerns from this era is probably because they make me feel like a kid again but I have other reasons that I think are pretty good. For one thing they are utterly without pretense. They do not pretend to be anything but entertainment for kids and unpretentiousness is real hard to find. There may be some out there but if you look for it you will find that it doesn't grow on trees. And they're just fun. The female lead is always charming, and the horsemanship, these films are always loaded with extras that are real cowboys. Apparently the reduction of manpower needed on the large cattle ranches coincided with the rise of the film industry so all these unemployed cowboys went to Hollywood. And could they ride. They just tore around like a house on fire and the ease and control that they demonstrate with these horses is a wonder to watch for a tenderfoot like me. But the plots get a little monotonous, I think there's only about two of them or three, maybe. You have to kind of overlook that. Anyway Star Packer is no exception. What makes it stand out is for one thing it has George "Gabby" Hayes one of the greatest character actors ever. But the main thing is that it has one of my Hollywood favorites, Pendleton Round-Up Rodeo champion and pioneer stuntman Yakima Canutt. Now John Wayne made a lot of westerns in this era and Yakima Canutt was in every one of them as Wayne's stunt double. He was also in practically every one of the as one of them as one of the bad guys, usually the leader. What makes this movie special is that, as far as I know, this is the only time he ever appears as a good guy.He has a very entertaining part as John Wayne's Tonto-like side kick. This includes an extremely charming and hilarious final scene in which he completely enthralls Wayne's young son with his Indian dancing and attempts to corrupt him into becoming an Indian himself. This is much to the amusement of Wayne and his wife, Verna Hillie. I have noticed that a bunch of these John Waynes have been colorized. My brother won't look at them but I think that as long as I have access to the original, I like having them. The landscapes are particularly beautiful. It's the sound that's bad. They dub in new voices that are terrible. And the music, it's some kind of spaghetti western sounding stuff that has nothing with the charm of the era. View at your peril.