Reviews and Observations on Silent Westerns by Boyd Magers

As the forerunner of the sound westerns we all enjoy, the silent westerns that still exist deserve our consideration and attention. As seemed to be the custom of the day, you’ll notice in silents many of the cowboy heroes mix light comedy with hard action. This style was carried over into talkies primarily by Hoot Gibson, but to a lesser degree by Ken Maynard and Buck Jones, eventually giving way to straight action from the star of the film with the comedy elements left to the sidekicks (Gabby, Fuzzy, Smiley, etc.) Silent westerns also exhibited stronger roles for women and usually more romance than in the sound era B-westerns.

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For Boyd's reviews of sound westerns visit The Old Corral.

Posted 12/6/11

SKY HIGH (1922 Fox) 61 minutes
Utilizing the Grand Canyon—and even the historic El Tovar Hotel (opened in 1905—still in operation)—as a backdrop, this is one of Tom Mix’s greatest, action-filled westerns. Tom is a deputy border immigration patrolman whose duty it is to capture the smugglers of Chinese Coolies and prevent the Orientals from crossing the border illegally. Meanwhile, college graduate Eva Novak comes west to visit her guardian uncle (J. Farrell MacDonald) who is secretly the head of the smugglers. While infiltrating the gang at their camp in the Grand Canyon, Tom comes upon and rescues Novak who has become lost in the Canyon. Soon discovered and captured by the outlaw band, headed up by Sid Jordan, Tom breaks free and rides for help, enlisting the aid of a Forest Patrol aviator and his plane in nearby Williams, AZ. (There’s a historic shot of Williams as it was in 1922 at this point.) Flying over the canyon in spectacular aerial footage with the pilot (real life aviator Bud Creeth), Mix lowers a ladder rope and drops into the swirling Colorado River. The action of Mix scaling high canyon walls, riding hell-bent-for-leather on treacherous, winding paths, swimming the dangerous Colorado River, rescuing Novak and capturing the smugglers is one big thrill-packed feast from beginning to end. If SKY HIGH doesn’t keep you on the edge of your seat, nothing will.

Posted 9/2/11

3 BAD MEN (1926 Fox) 122 minutes
Striving for another epic success like “The Iron Horse” director John Ford latched onto “3 Bad Men”, the plot of which follows three outlaws who redeem themselves while protecting pilgrims on their way to the 1877 Dakota landrush. Spectacular location shooting near the Grand Tetons at Jackson Hole, WY, affords a sweeping panoramic background for the scenes of outlaws and the wagon train journeying through the badlands of Dakota, but the script and Ford’s direction—filled with far too much incidental romance, Irish humor and extraneous subplots—makes “Three Bad Men” fall short of another out-and-out classic. Apparently, Ford envisioned Tom Mix, Buck Jones and George O’Brien as the three bad men of the title, but Fox executives believed Mix and Jones too valuable to waste on a single picture so Tom Santschi, J. Farrell MacDonald and Frank Campeau
were given the leads and O’Brien was shuffled off to nothing much more than the juvenile lead—although he retained star billing. Lou Tellegen, who had been working as a star at Fox for several years, but was beginning to age into character parts, was given the role of the corrupt Sheriff who “ran the mushrooming town with a high hand, keeping his own lawless gang in check.” * * The film opens as Santschi and his partners (MacDonald, Campeau) head for the gold fields of the Dakotas looking for his lost sister, but along the way wind up going to “work” protecting Olive Borden, who has lost her father. O’Brien, an expelled West Point cadet, joins the settlers on the way to the Dakotas, immediately falling in love with Borden. The overly-long film’s climax is an unequalled landrush sequence of
action as horses, wagons, bicycles and settlers on foot race to stake their claims. (Ford’s footage is frequently seen as stock in later westerns.) The night before the landrush Sheriff Tellegen burns the settlers’ church, killing many people, as he and his gang sneak across the deadline to get the jump on the pending land opening. * * Although O’Brien gets star billing it’s Tom Santschi’s film all the way, repenting his evil ways when his long lost sister, Priscilla Bonner, is rebuffed by Tellegen and left to die in the church fire. * * 6' 1" Santschi, born in 1876 in Switzerland, was brought to the U.S. at a young age and raised in Kokomo, IN. One of the earliest silent stars, he began his career in 1906—acting, directing and producing with the Selig Company as of 1907. After 11 years with Selig, he joined Universal and other companies. He’s best remembered for his co-starring role in 1914 with William Farnum in “The Spoilers”, the film that set the tone for fights in subsequent films. At 54 when sound arrived in 1929, Santschi’s star had faded. He worked in several low budget westerns and serials before his death on April 19, 1931.

LIGHTNING BRYCE (1919 Arrow 15 chapter serial)
Silent serial queen Ann Little’s miner father discovers a rich gold deposit sacred to the La Conche Indians. After secreting the whereabouts of the mine on a string wrapped tightly around a Bowie knife he is drugged with Peyote smoke by Indians and made to believe he killed his partner, Jack Hoxie’s father. Before Ann’s father dies, she is given the string and Jack is given the Bowie knife. The mine can only be located by winding the string over the blade in the proper manner, hence revealing directions to the gold. Learning of the gold, crooked deputy Paul Hurst and his gang try every means to steal the “map” from Ann and Jack. As well, the La Conche tribe sends a threatening emissary (Steve Clemente) to recover the string and knife to protect their hallowed treasure. Constantly in peril from both Hurst’s hazardous plots and the cunning Indian, Jack and Ann are often protected by a strange white garbed mystery woman (Jill Woodward) whose motives remain a riddle until the end. * * Although Jack Hoxie had worked in films since 1910, billed as Hart Hoxie, “Lightning Bryce” was his breakthrough, establishing him as a western hero. Directed by Paul Hurst, the serial is filled with perilous feats (including a battle with a trained wolf whose fangs actually penetrated Jack’s leg) and thrilling action both on the western desert and in the cities of San Francisco and New York. Arrow immediately put jack into another serial, “Thunderbolt Jack” (1920), followed by a series of feature westerns through 1922 when Jack went with Anthony7 J. Xydias’ Sunset Productions for eight before moving up to prestigious Universal in ‘23 where he became a major silent western star, ranking alongside Tom Mix, Fred Thomson and others. Hoxie remained with Universal until 1927 when he and studio head Carl Laemmle differed over a new contract and Jack walked out. Whether or not Hoxie realized his mistake, it was too late. His only other silent work was a ‘27 serial for Mascot, “Heroes of the Wild”. He didn’t return to the screen until 1932 in a low budget series of six talkies for Majestic.

JUST PALS (1920 Fox) 49 minutes
After playing character roles in Franklyn Farnum’s Canyon Pictures two-reelers and features at Fox with Tom Mix, Buck Jones was elevated to star status by studio head William Fox in the event Mix decided to bolt. Buck’s first starrer was “The Last Straw” in February ‘20 followed by “Firebrand Trevison” and “Just Pals”, which was director John Ford’s first of two with the fledgling star. Pathos, comedy and action are all interwoven in the complicated plot, proof that Jones truly was one of the best western actors. * * Town loafter Buck Jones, in

love at a distance with schoolmarm Helen Ferguson, rescues runaway orphan boy George Stone from a mean railroad brakeman. Both with their belts drawn tight, kindred spirits become pals. Ferguson, engaged to local express company cashier William Buckley, entrusts Buckley with the local school board money when Buckley tells her he needs a loan for a brief while as he is “short on his accounts,” when in truth he is an embezzler. When the school board comes looking for the money, Ferguson, in shame and despair, tries to drown herself. Learning of her plight, and not wanting her misjudged, Buck forces Buckley to give him the money, gives it to the board, and takes the blame for its disappearance. Driven out of town by the self-righteous townfolk, he and Stone wind up in a hobo camp where a gang of thieves are plotting with Buckley to rob the express office. Although Buck thwarts the robbery, he is again, because of his bad name, about to be lynched as a robber when Stone explains to the mob what really happened. A subplot involving a kidnapped child (at once believed to be Stone) nets Buck a $10,000 reward, allowing Buck, Helen and George to live happily ever after.

WHERE THE NORTH BEGINS (1923 WB) 69 minutes
Rin Tin Tin’s first feature has Rinty falling out of a moving crate being shipped across the Canadian wilderness. Raised by wolves, his first contact with a human is when his natural dog instincts kick in as he rescues French-Canadian Fred Huntley from a deadly ambush by an assassin known as The Fox (Charles Stevens). Seems a devious outpost factor, Walter McGrail, has sent Huntley to Skagway with a valuable load of furs then instructed Stevens to waylay him. Left for dead by Stevens, Huntley is nursed back to health by Rin Tin Tin, but Huntley is framed by McGrail for the theft of the pelts when he returns to the outpost. Through a piece of fabric ripped from Stevens clothing, Rinty exposes the real culprits.

RANCHERS AND RASCALS (1925 Steiner) 42 minutes
After a series of successful two reelers, labeled The Range Rider series, Leo Maloney branched out into feature westerns through a distribution contract with William Steiner Productions, all directed by Maloney himself. Maloney retained the same basic cast in all 13 films—leading lady Josephine Hill, badmen Leonard Clapham (Tom London), Bud Osborne and Jim Corey, character players Horace Carpenter, Indian actor Whitehorse and Barney Furey along with Maloney’s dog Bullet. Each film had strong undercurrents of humor and good plots which often had novelty elements taking the place of explosive action. “Ranchers and Rascals” is a perfect example. If ever there was a sitcom western, this is it; still with enough bravado to
satisfy western purists. * * On Leo’s wedding day to Josephine Hill, the once spurned Tom London (and his cohort Bud Osborne) happen across Patricia Darling and her baby on the run from city dude Barney Furey over custody of the child. Seeing his chance to frame Leo, London plots to disrupt the wedding by hiding out Darling and the baby in Leo’s house. Needless to say, when Josephine, her mother and father (Whitehorse) and the wedding party arrive the story turns into a comedic mix-up not unlike a Leon Erroll comedy short.

ARIZONA KID (AKA “Pursued”) (1929 Davis) 40 minutes
Art Acord was still popular but had certainly fallen from grace since his glory years at Universal (1920-1927) due to his drinking. J. Charles Davis had been producing westerns with Bob Custer and latched on to the remaining screen virtues of Acord’s name for a series of eight low budgeters—possibly only six of which were ever made (or released). “The Arizona Kid” (videotape copies erroneously titled “Pursued”) was the third release. Art is a U. S. Marshal broadly disguised as an outlandishly attired effeminate fop who infiltrates renegade Cliff Lyon’s outlaw gang, thinking him good for a laugh. Art obviously has quite a

time with his “queer duck” routine as he plans to rescue mail wagon driver Horace Carpenter who has been robbed and taken prisoner by Lyon’s gang—who also soon grab Carpenter’s daughter Carol Lane as well. * * Assistant director James Tromp and assistant cameraman George Hollister play minor roles. Art’s horse is Star and his dog is Rex, although nothing special is done with them. Director/actor Horace B. Carpenter, born in Grand Rapids, MI, in 1875, broke into movies with Famous Players–Lasky at 39 in 1914 after playing a variety of roles on the stage; which he also did on screen from ‘14-‘18. He seems absent from the screen then until returning in ‘23 where, from then on, he was closely associated with westerns, acting in some 400 mostly uncredited parts through 1945 when he died at 70 on May 21. He directed 13 low budget silent westerns (and a couple of non-westerns) from 1924-1929 starring Lester Cuneo, Bill Patton, Art Acord and Art Mix.

THE SHOW DOWN (1921 Universal) 18 minutes
Universal’s “Moon Riders” 18 chapter serial in 1920 put Art Acord into the upper ranks of western stardom. “The White Horseman” serial in ‘21 strengthened Acord’s standing even more. In between serials, Art turned out continuous action packed two reelers like “The Show Down” in which Marcella Pershing’s guardian, Ed Burns, has embezzled the lass’ inheritance. Art Acord becomes aware of her situation and rides to her rescue. One truly exciting “cliffhanger” of a sequence will absolutely make you jump. * * Leading lady Marcella Pershing was a second cousin of famed WWI General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing.

SAND (1920 Paramount-Artcraft) 49 minutes
The first William S. Hart western produced by his own company, after freeing himself from the production reins of Thomas H. Ince…and it’s a good one. “I want my next two years in pictures to be free from worry about business,” Hart stated, “so I can devote my time to making good photo-dramas.” Directed, as other Hart westerns had been, by Lambert Hillyer, “Sand” was basically a railroad story filmed in late 1919 on the desert outside Victorville, CA. Hart’s favorite horse, the pinto Fritz, had been out of Bill’s films for a couple of years and “Sand” was his return, with advertisements making the most of the pinto’s return. Fritz, named Boss in the picture, is expertly incorporated into the storyline. * * “Sand” opens with Hart on his way to replace elderly Hugh Jackson as railroad station agent in the town of Condor. On the way, Hart is made aware of bandits who recently robbed the train of $20,000 and got clean away. Arriving in Condor, Hart finds the man he is to replace is the father of a girl he fell in love with sometime back, Mary Thurman. At first he declines the job, but Mary explains she and her Pop are going to work in the general store of G. Raymond Nye who is also the primary stockholder in the railroad as well as having his eyes set on Mary. The duplicitous Nye eventually manages to have Hart fired, but Bill immediately gets a job on a nearby ranch with old pal Bill Patton. At the same time Hart learns he is getting his old pinto horse, Boss (Fritz), back again. Mary overhears a conversation between Hart and Patton and believes Bill is in love with another woman. Hurt, she at first agrees to marry Nye. Hart, crushed, fades away to work on the ranch and tries to track down the elusive train bandits. Realizing she doesn’t love Nye, Mary decides to leave Condor on the train. In the desert, Hart comes upon the train bandits—led by Nye—attempting to hold up the very train carrying Mary.

Posted 5/21/11

DESERT RIDER (1923 Sunset) 52½ minutes
Jack Hoxie’s final western for poverty row producer Anthony J. Xydias before joining more prestigious Universal is a slow affair as Jack and his sidekick Frank Rice find little Walter Wilkenson stranded in the desert after thief Claude Payton has shot Walter’s father (Tom Lingham) in an attempt to steal his gold mine map. Before Lingham dies Jack promises to care for the orphaned boy and work Lingham’s mine. They are soon joined by Evelyn Nelson, an eastern girl come west who had lost her way in the desert. Trickster Payton tries to blame his own murderous deeds on Jack, but his scheme backfires in a surprise windup—unfortunately, it all comes too late after 45 minutes of routine drearydom. A couple of drawn-out “comic” scenes with Frank Rice and Wilkinson are nothing but padding and do nothing to help the film’s already slow pacing. Director Robert North Bradbury had just graduated to feature work after heading up a slew of Tom Santschi and Art Acord shorts. He did much better work later on with his son Bob Steele and John Wayne.

BETTER MAN WINS (1922 Sanford) 63 minutes
Excitement from the get-go as Pete Morrison protects Dorothy Woods from rustlers. The couple is soon engaged but trouble enters their love affair when eastern society dame Gene Crosby and her neer-do-well manager Jack Walters literally crash-land on Dorothy’s doorstep. While Crosby stays at Dorothy’s ranch for six weeks recuperating from a broken leg, she sets her cap for Morrison. Meanwhile, Walters tries to force his attentions on Dorothy. Torn between infatuation and love, Pete chooses to go east with Crosby. More tragedy befalls Dorothy when her invalid father dies and she’s forced to auction off her ranch. Now discarded by Crosby, the wily Walters preys upon Dorothy’s downfall in life, putting her to work in his cabaret. Tainted by the wicked ways of eastern society, Pete eventually sees Crosby’s true colors and realizes the terrible mistake he has made in deserting Dorothy. Returning west, he finds Dorothy in the cabaret-clutches of Walters and sets out to right his wrong. Melodramatic at times, but a fine little film that extols the virtues of the West while condemning the lurid and wicked ways of Eastern society. Scripted and directed by Marcel Perez (1885-1927) who began his acting/writing/directing career in his native Spain. From 1910 to 1923 Perez played Tweedledum, Twede-Dan or Tweedy in a long series of comedy shorts. Oddly, this feature and “Pioneers of the West” with Dick Carter seem to be his only feature directorial work. (He also acted in “Lash of the Law” in ‘26.) His death at only 42 cut short what could have been a promising career in sound films.

ROMANCE OF THE WASTELAND (1924 Aywon) 45 minutes
While stopped in a small town, a young child, traveling west with her mother (Alma Rayford) gets off the train to pet a dog and is left behind when the train pulls out. Art Mix spots the stranded young waif and takes her to his ranch. Meanwhile, Rayford discovers her daughter missing and hires a car to search for the lost child. Finding the girl safe with Art, he and the sheriff obtain a job for Rayford “slingin’ hash”. Trouble arises when two hobos arrive in town, one of whom, Joe, is the no good husband of Rayford she came west to escape. Pretty dramatic finish.

THE TRYOUT (1919 Capital/Nu-Art) 24 minutes
Fresh, young Tom Ashton wants to ride the owlhoot trail with Al Jennings (billed as America’s reformed outlaw), so Al agrees to give him a three day tryout. To dissuade the young wannabe, good-badman Jennings has Ashton encounter a child abuser, a double-crosser and a treacherous killing, convincing Ashton the life of an outlaw is not for him. Very low rent production values.

TRAIL OF THE AXE (1922 American Releasing) 49 minutes
To meet his contract demands, Dustin Farnum must put his lumber mill workers on double shift. Also, to save his brother George Fisher from an alcoholic state, Farnum gives him a job, only to learn the girl he loves, Winifred Kingston, plays to marry his brother, even against her father’s will. As George continues to drink on the job, even Kingston begins to lose faith in him. True to his drunkardness, George blames the loss of his girl and even his own alcoholism on brother Farnum and vows to get even by setting off an explosion at the mill, then excites rebellious loggers to burn the camp. Overly melodramatic. ^ ^ Dustin Farnum was born in Hampton Beach, NH, May 27, 1874, the oldest of four children born to the professional acting team of George and Adele Farnum. Brother Marshall died at 17 and sister Clara at 7. William and Dustin went on to stage and film fame. Dustin made his movie debut in 1913 and got his big break in Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Squaw Man” in 1914, As his acting never quite lost its stage training, he retired from films in 1926. He was 55 when he died on July 3, 1959. Married three times, his third wife was Winifred Kingston, his English born co-star in this film and some 17 others. She left films in 1928 and dropped from the public eye.

TWO FISTED JUSTICE (1924 Arrow) 50 minutes
Seeking tinhorn gambler and murderer Morris Foster, Sheriff Dick Hatton poses as an outlaw and infiltrates Arthur Morrison’s gang, not realizing the man he seeks is part of that very gang. Also there is Foster’s abused and distraught wife, Marilyn Mills. Discovering Foster, Hatton helps Mills flee the outlaw camp. His true lawman identity revealed, Hatton is bound by Morrison’s gang, but in true B-western fashion, Dick is rescued by his horse, Star. Badmen fallout as Morrison and Foster clash while Hatton rides to Mill’s defense. In many ways Hatton’s looks and acting style remind one of William Farnum. This one, produced by Ben Wilson, is also directed by Hatton in an often erratic, confused and stagnant manner.

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