Wild West Round Up: Lucky Boots (1935)

Posted on March 3, 2024 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to the Rotten Ink Ranch. Pull yourself up a seat around the campfire as the chili is cooking and we’ll chat about classic Western Cinema while we bring it to a boil as talking classic western cinema is something that I enjoy. I am thinking that March 2024 will once more be Cowboy Month as we will not only chat about the 1935 film Lucky Boots in this update but we will also later in the month be talking about wrestler Tex McKenzie as well as the iconic cowboy Red Ryder! Oh and the chili we will be trying for this update sounds fantastic, and you will learn about it a little later in this update. So if you are ready and while the chili is still cooking over the campfire, let’s take a look at the history of the film Lucky Boots and its actor Big Boy Williams.

Lucky Boots, also known as Gun Play, was a cheaply shot western that was made to cash in on the craze that was sweeping cinemas at the time, as moviegoers loved western and horror movies during the time. The film was written by William L. Nolte and was produced by Arthur Alexander and Max Alexander, who were brothers that produced many movies during their long career. They followed many trends in their time, and their production company M & A Alexander Productions of course was involved with Hollywood Film Exchange being the distributor. When they needed a director, they brought in Al Herman, a man who was known for directing and writing B-Movies and has such titles as “The Whispering Shadow (1933)”, “Blazing Justice (1936)”, “Valley Of Terror (1937)” and “The Missing Corpse (1945)” to name a very few as he directed almost 200 films, shorts and shows. And it was clear that the Alexander Brothers hired Herman due to the fact that he could turn in fun films on a small budget that would turn profits. When casting the film, they brought in Guinn “Big Boy” Williams to be the star. He served in the military during World War I and originally had dreams to play baseball before becoming an actor thanks to Will Rogers who hooked him in the business. Big Boy would star in over 200 films and would be married three times all to actresses with one being Barbara Weeks who would star in the Ed Wood written film “The Violent Years” in 1956. Sadly Big Boy Williams would pass away in 1963 from uremic poisoning at the age of 63. Other names hired for the cast include Marion Shilling, Hal Taliaferro, Frank Yaconelli, Tom London, Helen Gibson and Charles K. French. The film would open in theaters on December 1, 1935 and was a modest hit that sadly over the ages has been lost in the shuffle of the western movies filmed at this time. And for those wondering and wanting to pay their respects to Guinn “Big Boy” Williams, he is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in California.

The chili for this Wild West Round Up review is called “Smokey Chorizo Chili” and is a recipe by Country Music Star Trisha Yearwood and was listed on the Food Network website. This one sounds good as I am a big fan of chorizo and it will be interesting as the recipe calls for red and orange bell peppers and I am not a big fan of them, but I do look forward to seeing how they taste in this chili. This Smokey Chorizo Chili has about 40-45 prep time and should cook for around 1hr 30min. And the smell of this chili cooking was very pleasant and filled the house, I even noticed my cat Jazzy sniffing the air. So below is a look at the chili with cheese and sour cream on the top once it was done.

With my bowl filled with some Smokey Chorizo Chili and a nice tall class of ice water ready to be drunk, I think it’s time we munch down and take a look at the film Lucky Boots starring Big Boy Williams. And I want to remind you that I will be grading both the film and the chili on a classic 1-4 star scale, and would also like to thank Alpha Video and Game Swap Kettering for making this update possible. Well I am ready to eat and watch classic Western cinema, so with that let’s dig into both the chili and this Wild West Round Up film!

Lucky Boots
Starring: Big Boy Williams and Tom London Directed: Al Herman
Not Rated 1935 59min Alpha Video DVD Full Frame

A massive gun fight is breaking out between two groups when General Tirado is shot and is taken away by friends to the nearby ranch ran by the Holt family for help as well as away form the massive amounts of gold he is caring to be safe. His men are loyal and his friendship with the Holts is true as they rush him into a room for rest, but sadly that night he dies. Meanwhile many years later at a shady saloon, Pedro is telling Meeker over drinks the story of the death of the General and the gold that was buried on the Holt ranch as he was a witness to this and was blindfolded before they got to the spot and now he is the only surviving member of those who buried it. Meeker then enters his office and reads a letter from George Holt about he and his sister Madge coming west for their fathers estate. He steals apart of the letter and then gets his men ready to head to the Holt ranch.

Meeker and his men get to the ranch and he gives orders to not let anyone get too close to the house as he and his right hand man Cal enter the home looking for a trunk that is talked about in the stolen section of the letter. Meanwhile Billy Williams and his friend Frank Gorman are riding near and having a good time when they are threatened and chased off by some of Meeker’s men who tell them that it’s private property, and this causes a big chase to take place as Meeker’s men ride after Frank and behind his men is Williams. When Frank is thrown from his horse, Meeker’s men catch up to him and start to rough him up, that is until Billy Williams arrives and uses his fists to floor the goons with big punches and chases them off. Williams and Frank decide to camp there for the night, while back at the Holt ranch Meeker and Cal have found the trunk and ride off with it to open away from the ranch as George and Madge are on their way to the family ranch.

Williams and Frank are at their night camp removing their boots and settling in for the evening as Frank is complaining about nothing going their way as Williams tells him to look at the brighter side of things and who knows luck just might fall out of the sky, as the two start to take a nap. Meanwhile Meeker and Cal search the trunk and just find some papers, hats and boots and when they see that the Holt siblings are coming they toss the trunk and boots over a small ledge and leave the scene. The boots land near the sleeping Billy Williams who ends up putting them on and thinks it’s a sign from heaven as his boots had holes in them. Meeker and his men make it back to the ranch on time to great George and Madge Holt and deliver the letter that now makes them the full owner of Holt ranch, he even tries to trick them into selling it to him as he talks about the ranch needing lots or repair as well as the taxes and up keep. But Madge and George Holt are tired and do not want to talk business so Meeker leaves for the night as the siblings soak in their new home.

Williams and Frank come across The Holt Ranch and come up with the idea of seeing if they could get jobs at the ranch to earn a little money, and they arrive just in time to save Madge from a charging bull as Williams is able to rope it and then wrestle it to the ground. After talking with the Holts they are hired to work the ranch as hands. Back at the office of Meeker he can not figure out the hiding meaning of the trunk and the stolen part of the letter and Cal and he try their best to crack the secret and they finally do as the heat from Meeker’s cigar brings out the invisible ink that tells them the location of treasure can be found in the heel of the boots that are now being warn by Williams. Meeker gets his men together and the head to the location of the dumped trunk only to find the boots missing and know that some one has them when they find the old warn out boots of Williams. Meeker does not give up and has a plan that will help them find the boots and the clue to find the buried gold.

Meeker is sponsoring a dance that will allow any cowboy from town to bring their old pair of boots in for a brand new pair, as he hopes this will get him the boots quick and easy. And when news of the dance to the Holt Ranch excitement fills the air as George says that all of them should go and all agree and are ready for a fun night of gathering and dancing and of course boots! The dance is going well and many people are trading in their old boots for new ones, but when Williams and his friends arrive none trade in their boots as when Frank tries they are out of his size. Meeker sits the Holts at a reserved table and reminds them that he made an offer to buy the ranch before talking to Cal who is boot watching seeing if anyone entering the dance and not trading in their boots don’t fit the description of the boots they are looking for. As Meeker heads back to the Holts’ he notices the boots on the feet of Williams and knows he has finally found them! Williams asks Madge to dance as Meeker alerts Cal who as well heads to the dance floor with a lady and after rudely bumping into Madge he and Williams get into a fight on the dance floor as the towns people watch. Williams is getting the upper hand so Meeker signals for more of his men to enter the fight and Williams is holding them all off by himself, and Meeker even tries to cheat by turning off the lights and scaring the people at the dance. Once the fight is over Williams, Frank, Madge and George all head home to the ranch as Meeker yells at Cal for failing to get the boots.

Back at The Holt Ranch, both George and Frank turn in for the night while Williams and Madge chat about the fight and how unprovoked it was that so many others would jump in like that, they also talk about the death and hidden treasure of General Tirado, spurs and Williams even sings for Madge while Frank plays the harmonica outside, but George puts a stop to the singing as he is wanting to sleep and so everyone starts to get ready for bed. While outside Cal and another man watch and wait for everyone to be asleep so they can steal the boots, the goon climbs into Williams’s window but is punched in the face and falls out the window for his effort and as he and Cal make a run for it Williams fires his gun at them. The noise wakes everyone in the house and Williams tells them of the prowler and how it looks like it was two of them, he then says he thinks something is up and that he is keeping guard all night and everyone else should get some sleep.

The next morning Williams and Frank starting working and when the separate to complete some jobs Meeker’s men once more attack and give chase to Williams who falls from his horse and acts as if he has been hit by one of their bullets, this of course was a trick as he lures them close to him and when they try and take his boots he then puts up a big fight. After taking out two of Meeker’s men, more show up with Meeker being one of them and start shooting at them and this causes him to once more get on his horse and try to out run them and is able to hide from them. Williams ends up finding the hidden message in the heel of his boot and unlucky for him Meeker and Cal seem him discover it and decided to follow him to learn the location for themselves. Williams takes the location paper to George and Madge and they now know that Meeker is a bad man and that the treasure is there and theirs.

Williams leads George, Frank and Madge to the location of the buried treasure and they all start digging hoping to find it, and after awhile they find the gold! But across the way Meeker, Cal and the others are watching and plotting to rob them of their newly found riches and they make their move by shooting at them! George and Madge try to make their escape in a wagon that the gold is on board while Williams and Frank on horseback try and keep Meeker and his gang at bay. The Holts are able to make it back home to the ranch and get the gold inside just as Williams and Frank arrive with Meeker and his goons right behind them, Williams gets them to all hold up in the house and have a stand off with Meeker and his men who are outside firing in. After a few minutes two of Meeker’s men are dead and only he and Cal remain to try and get the gold, but in the end with two unloaded guns Williams is able to get Meeker and Cal to surrender and they are arrested. Williams and Frank also find themselves now as part owners of The Holt Ranch for all their help and Madge and Williams start up a relationship.

Review: Lucky Boots is a very slow moving and for the most part lackluster western film that is about hidden treasure, a con man who runs the town and two strangers that befriend the new ranch owners of the town and help them uncover the riches that is theirs…oh yeah and lots of talk about boots as the whole film revolves around the directions to the hidden treasure that is hidden in the heel of an old pair of them…just silly stuff. And to be honest while most of these westerns were made very cheaply this one seems to be more lacking in the script department than the budget one as it just seems like it never truly starts and much of the “action” parts are two few and far between and in some cases brag on and almost seem like filler with the opening gun battle and the fist fight at the dance both coming to mind. The final gun fight between the good guys and the bad guys comes off very generic and standard as it’s just back and fourth shots of guns being fired with lots of smoke and no real danger being felt as for the longest time both sides are as bad of shots as Stormtroopers from Star Wars and Cobra Guards from G.I. Joe with just blindly firing lots of bullets and hitting nothing. The film’s main hero is Billy Williams who is played by Big Boy Williams and is kind of a goofy hero who thinks his found boots have brought him luck, and well they kind of do as the lead him to a job, gold and the love of a lady…but I also think he is kind of two goofy as I just can not take him serious as a gun slinging hero. His sidekick Frank Gorman is played for laughs and cheesy slapstick comedy his way through the film and has a over the top laugh and even at one point is creepily looking around a door, he as well is not a hero you can believe in. The beauty of the film is Madge Holt and she is your typical city woman who now is in the west and trying to run a ranch, the best part for her is when she has to run from the bull as it made me laugh out loud. Meeker and his men are the baddies and besides being greedy, wanting to steal gold and try to kill some people they are pretty lame and just ride around shooting and hitting nothing, loosing fist fights and just kind of being lame. The film is a total miss for me as the action is drawn out and boring, the story is bland and over all this is a classic western you should skip. I will say that the Alpha Video DVD print is pretty good and has only a few audio issues but nothing that distracted me from the movie.

Now let’s talk about the Smokey Chorizo Chili and if it was a hit or a miss for me. I am here to say that it was a HIT as I found it to be very good and hearty. I have to point out that this chili has many ingredients that I do not like at all like Red Peppers, Butternut Squash and Orange Peppers…but it also has Chorizo that I really like and what is shocking is all these things along with the tomatoes, spices, onions and black beans blend really well together. The chili packs a little heat that is not over bearing and again I have to really push that all these flavors just blend together really well. So really if you enjoy chili and are looking for something warm and comforting during a cold evening give this chili a try as both Juliet and I really liked it. I should say I would suggest that if you try this recipe to do a pound and a half of the chorizo

Movie: **
Chili: ***1/2

So as you can see, we had a great tasty bowl of chili and watched an entertaining yet kind of bland classic western film and I have to stress for me no matter how good or bad these Western Films released by Alpha Video I still very much enjoy sitting down and watching them as again they make me think of my Grandpa who loved these types of films and because watching them with him I found myself as well loving them. Also I have to say that Big Boy Williams had that Hollywood Cowboy look, I just wish he was a little more rough and tough in this film and way less silly and goofy. And The Wild West Round Up updates have been lots of fun to do and while I am not sure if they will be an every year theme, they will be a main stay update here at Rotten Ink. Cowboy Month is still going strong and out next update will take is to the squared circle as we talk about The Texas Hangmen, a masked tag team that worked from the 80’s to 90’s. So until next time, read a western comic or three, watch a western film or two and as always support your local chili makers! See you next update as the R.I.W Wrestling Legend update event should be a brawling one.

Wild West Round Up: The Law Rides Again (1943)

Posted on March 23, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to the Rotten Ink Ranch. I am sure you can smell that chili cooking over the campfire and you know that we will be talking about another classic western film that was released on DVD by Alpha Video around the old fire as we eat a bowl or two. This Wild West Round Up update will like always have one film that I will break down. I will talk about the plot of the film and will also use pictures to do so. I will also very quickly talk about the film’s production as well as the lead star of the film, and sometimes even the director, as they are very important to the film as well. Also for these updates I will find a chili recipe online and cook up a batch and watch the movie while eating a bowl or two…and the chili and the film will be graded on a 1-4 star scale! This should be a fun time as Rotten Ink Ranch has been kind enough to allow us to sit around a campfire and cook some chili and chat about good old western films. So if you are ready, let’s start The Law Rides Again and get this themed update started and the chili cooking.

The Law Rides Again was a cheaply shot western film that was released on October 12, 1943 and was released by Monogram Pictures. Like many films at this time, it was filmed quick and cheap to get into the cinema to cash in on the still hanging on cowboy popularity. The film over the years has held up and is one that is mostly met with positive reviews from critics as well as fans. The director of this film was Alan James, who over his career directed over 70 films with many of them being westerns as well as the Dick Tracy serials from 1937. And besides directing, James was also known for his writing skills as he wrote over 60 scripts. The film’s main star was Ken Maynard, who plays the part of U.S. Marshal Ken Maynard. He was a true star when it came to acting in Western films, and this was his second time playing the U.S. Marshal character. It also had Hoot Gibson, Jack La Rue, Chief Thundercloud, Budd Buster and Betty Miles added to the cast. The film was cheap to shoot and when finished Frank Sanucci was brought in to score it. The film did well at the theaters and that was mainly due to the duo of Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson both who were really well loved by movie goers of the 1940’s. Over the years the film has built a following with fans who enjoy this era of Hollywood Westerns and as of this update’s posting holds a 6.1 out of 10 star rating on IMDB. The film has also been released on home media on multiple DVD labels.

For The Law Rides Again screening we decided to cook up some “Café Zupas Chicken Enchilada Chili” a slow cooking chili that should be very tasty and is by Emily Walker and sounds like it could be a very good meal as we chose to fix and eat it on a very cold January day in 2022. We both picked this chili as it sounded really interesting and would have to slow cook for around four hours. So after getting all the ingredients, we placed it all into the crockpot and followed the recipe and we will soon find out if it’s as good as its sounds.

I have a blast doing these western and chili updates and for sure the “Wild West Round Up” will be around for a while here at Rotten Ink. I will be grading both the film and the chili on a classic 1-4 star scale. I also want to say on my film ratings, I am basing it on a scale that is for this era of classic westerns. So pull up a rock and gather by the campfire as it’s time to eat some home cooked chili and watch a western flick brought to us from the folks at Alpha Video.

The Law Rides Agian
Starring: Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson Directed: J.P. McGowan
Not Rated 1943 58min Alpha Video DVD Full Frame

A wagon train is spotted by an Indian Scout. He reports back to his tribe, and they decide to go on the attack! The people of the wagon train try to escape but they are no match and are caught and killed and many of the wagons are set on fire. The aftermath is spotted by Eagle Eye who in fear rides off heading into town.

Meanwhile in the Arizona Territory at the Commissioner’s Office Eagle Eye is inside talking to Commissioner Lee about the wagon ambush and is worked up over all that the tribe took and what they destroyed, and now the Commissioner is looking at U.S. Marshal Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson to investigate and see why the Native Americans have gone against the peace treaty. Ken and Hoot end up with an idea to use connected fugitive Duke Dillon to help find who is creating the tension and making the tribe attack the wagons, and Duke agrees to help dig and find the info as they promise his punishment would be made lighter for the help. Meanwhile in town Indian Agent John Hampton is talking with Chief Barking Fox as they have gotten a herd of cattle for the Indians and as well John slips Thundercloud, a brave, some coins and the deal is done.

The Marshal arrives at the jail with Duke Dillon arrive at the stage coach office and Betty Conway takes over the job or driving it as they head toward the town so that Duke can find the person who is causing the drama with the tribe. Meanwhile as Eagle Eye stops to take a drink of water he is almost hit with an arrow as the tribe have spotted him and do not want him on their land, they give chase to them and it’s luck that he is able to give them the slip. Eagle Eye rushes to the station and informs Pete Conway the owner of the stage couch company that the tribe is on a path of destruction…and lucky for them Ken and Hoot arrive and are told of the situation and they go after the stage coach and after a chase they are able to leap from their horses onto the coach and get Betty to stop it. But they are all unlucky as the Native American Tribe has shown up and now Betty’s driving skills are being put to the test. And during this chase Duke is able to get the Marshalls gun away from him and kill him and then leap out of the coach just as they reach the safety of the town as the Native Americans turn around. Meanwhile Ken, Hoot and Betty are unaware of the escape of Duke and the killing of the Marshall. And just Duke’s luck where he lands he finds a house that he limps to.

John Hampton and his men have gotten word that Duke Dillon is working alongside the law in order to help point the finger at the people who are working up the Native Americans and causing these attacks, and of course its them that are doing so and they have an idea to kill Duke as he exits the coach…but of course he has already escaped. Meanwhile Sheriff Jeff is called when the body of the Marshall is found and Ken and Hoot are taken in for questioning, as Betty does not know them and they are the ones who originally stopped her coach before the Indian attack. Hampton stops by and tries to get information from Betty and Jeff as well as acts as if he is not sure why the Indians are attacking and even more he wants to know who was the criminal passenger who was on the coach that escaped. And when he doesn’t get what he seeks he acts like he will help Jeff in finding out why the tribe is attacking.

Ken and Hoot are locked up in a jail cell for over three hours now and they are getting antsy as they want to be on their way to track down Duke And with a whistle they get their horses to show up at the jail window and Hoot uses a lasso to get Ken’s gun off the desk and they then use the rope to also tie to the horse who pulls the window out and they are now free. Sheriff Ken arrives at the jail just in time to see them ride off as he had been spending the morning talking to Betty and letting his prisoners think about the crime he thinks they did in jail. Meanwhile John Hampton is relieved that Ken and Hoot escaped as they think now the investigation into the Tribe attacks will be over.

Ken and Hoot return to the trail and find the tracks of Duke as well as the old house he is taking shelter in. Before the head to the house Hoot tells Ken that even though Duke double crossed them he still might be useful into the matter of finding out who is behind the Tribe attacking. When they get to the house they leave the horses by the door and walk away to the back of the house, as Duke limps out of the home thinking about stealing a horse to get away Hoot and Ken bust him as it was a trap and the crook fell for it. When caught the three head into the home to talk about the original plan as Duke claims he did not kill the Marshall that it was a bullet from the attacking tribe that killed him. Meanwhile back in town Thundercloud visits with Hampton who just wrapped up a meeting with Sheriff Jeff and warns him that trouble could be on the way as a white man has scheduled a meeting with Chief Barking Fox at sundown and this worries Hampton as he thinks that the gig could be exposed. And worse for Hampton is Ken, Hoot and Duke have just arrived in town and Duke heads toward Hampton’s building as Ken and Hoot watch on.

Ken and Hoot are shocked that Duke headed straight for Hampton’s post and they think that they should go and get the Sheriff and Hoot breaks off to go do so as Ken keeps his eye on the building. Inside Duke and Hampton have a talk and Duke alerts him that he has no intention in helping the law and turning in Hampton for his work on angering the Indians, and all he wants is for him to help him escape. Duke even says that if Hampton refuses and has one of his men shoot him that the law will be at their door in no time as he tells him that Ken and Hoot are outside. Meanwhile back at the jail Hoot is having to explain to Sheriff Jeff, Betty as well as two other men why they had such strange behavior and why they escaped jail, and Ken is tricked into coming into the Indian Agent building and even punches and knocks out one of Hampton’s men in the lobby.

Ken starts looking around seeing if he can find Hampton and Duke and once upstairs he has a fist fight with two more of Hampton’s men and the odds being against him Ken is hit with a chair and goes down, the attackers all flee the scene when Hoot along with Betty, The Sheriff and the two other men arrive. Ken wakes up and joins the search party and when they arrive at the room of Hampton he plays dumb and acts as Duke is gone and he acts as if he has never heard of him before. When they all leave Duke comes out from behind a trick bookcase and tells Hampton that he thinks that the only way out of this is if they kill Ken, Hoot and Betty as they have all seen him. Meanwhile back at the jail Eagle Eye is telling Ken and Hoot that the meeting with Chief Barking Fox is a go at sunset. Hoot heads off to the meeting with the Chief as Betty heads to the fort to bring her fiancé who is a Calvary soldier, while Ken and Eagle Eye stay with the Sheriff and his deputies in case of trouble in town. While at the office of Hampton he is being convinced by Duke and Thundercloud that during the meeting they should attack and kill those who are close to exposing this crime ring they have. And when they find out Hoot and Betty have rode off Hampton sends men to go and get them.

As Hoot and Betty are riding he catches on that they are now being followed and tries to come up with an idea to loss their soon to be attackers, he even had Betty split off so that it would be harder for the bad guys to track them. And Betty outsmarts her followers and heads toward the fort, while Hoot as well makes his trackers look silly as he gets the jump on them and even steals their horses, leaving them walking back to town. Hampton and Duke’s attempt to stop Betty and Hoot was a failure. While back in town Ken gets on top of the roofs and makes his way to Hampton’s Indian Agent Post as the front door was heavily guarded. Once inside the office of Hampton he locks the door and starts snooping around and taking evidence, but is caught when Hampton comes from behind the bookcase and a fight breaks out alerting his men who arrive to late as Ken escapes and Hampton is knocked out.

Ken goes to the Sheriff with the evidence he has found about Hampton and his men stealing cattle from the tribe during delivery, and Hoot finds that the Chief has not been happy as they are promised lots and always delivered little by the white man. And when Hoot returns to town they all agree that Hampton is the man behind cheating the tribe and that he as well has been hiding and working alongside Duke Dillon and they now have one day to make things right with the tribe before a war breaks out. And the whole time they talk Thundercloud is at the window listening to the plan and figures out that he as well has been lied to by Hampton, and once back at his office he is knocked out and taken away by Hampton’s men. Meanwhile Ken, Hoot, Sheriff Ken, Eagle Eye and the two deputies are going to try and bluff until the Calvary arrives that Betty has went to fetch.

Hampton gets all his men ready for a gunfight as Duke now just wants his money so that he can skip town and be away from all this madness, but Hampton refuses and now he is stuck at the post. And now Eagle Eye and Sheriff Ken have also went to go get Chief Barking Fox to bring him to town as well to not only even the odds but to expose the scam that Hampton has been pulling on them. As Hampton empties his safe Duke takes out his gun and shoots Hampton and steals the money and tries to make his escape. And as Duke rides away he is spotted by Ken and Hoot who give chase and in turn Hampton’s men as well start to chase the other men. Duke gets off his horse and hides in the rocks as Ken and Hoot follow and try to get him to give up, but then things get worse as many of Hampton’s men show up guns ready and a shootout starts with Ken and Hoot being badly out numbered and out gunned, but just on time arrives the Calvary and during this gun fight even Duke is hit by a bullet and wounded badly. And when the Sheriff, Eagle Eye and The Chief join the fight its over as Hampton’s henchmen surrender, and when Ken and Hoot make it to Duke he dies. In the end the tribe and the town have peace and after chatting at the jail with Sheriff Ken, Betty and Eagle Eye our heroes Ken and Hoot then set out for more adventures.

Review: You can tell from the start that “The Law Rides Again” was made on a very cheap budget as very little gunfights breakout and the cast is kept pretty small as are the locations used. The pairing of Ken and Hoot is fun to watch, and while they are the heroes of the story and do lots of heroic and brave things, they also oddly have a comedy aspect to them that made me as the viewer take them not as serious as I should. It’s almost like they wanted to make a western comedy but got cold feet and just decided on a normal production. Ken Maynard is a good actor but for some reason in this movie for me he just did not pack that leading man punch that one would think of when it came to these classic western films, as just something was lacking in his performance and I think it was making his character have confidence. Hoot Gibson does a pretty good job of being the sidekick character who has good ideas and in the final gunfight shows that he might been the more skilled of the two heroes as his bullets save Ken twice from dying. I like the character of Betty Conway played by Betty Miles, a beautiful stagecoach driver who it appears could by all means take care of herself and I wish they would have allowed her to take part in the gun fight at the end of the film. And speaking of that gun fight, I wish there was a little more to it most of the take it was just characters firing the guns with close ups and once and awhile one of the actors would act as if they got hit by a bullet, and both of our films villains Duke Dillon and John Hampton meet their end with Hamptons being a good death for a cheat while I felt Duke’s was a little lacking. As far as bad guys go in these old western films, I would say that both Duke and Hampton are pretty dang good as Duke is just sneaky and Hampton is a full fledge conman. Plus the subplot of the Tribe attacking wagon trains and white men on their land should have been a bigger part as having them even attack the town in revenge for being cheated would have been a great touch. While this film does have many flaws it also has many charms as I felt the acting was good for the time, the fist fights were very cheesy and glorious and the fast pace and focus on our two heroes made for an enjoyable watch. And while not a classic by any means, fans of Ken Maynard and or Hoot Gibson will surly enjoy this one. I was really torn on what star rating to give this one as my gut was saying it was a *1/2 to ** star at best film, but the entertainment it gave me on a cold winters day in 2022 made me bump it up to the rating you will see it got below and yes I know I am being generous. Also the DVD print from Alpha Video is ok and while it does have a few audio and picture issues, they just added to the charm.

Now onto the Café Zupas Chicken Enchilada Chili first thing I have to say is that while cooking in the crockpot it had a great smell to it that filled the house and both Juliet and I thought so. Now for the test of the chili I can say it really does taste like a Chicken Enchilada that was blended up and made into a chili type soup. The tastes are bold but not like your normal chili taste, as the enchilada sauce is very powerful with each bite and it kind of over powers the dish. But the mix of chicken, corn and black beans do as well add to the taste and texture and helps take your tongue to the chili comfort food zone. While not as hearty as I like my chili, this one was an above average bowl that had some unique elements that made for a tasty meal.

Movie: **1/2
Chili: **1/2

Well that was some tasty chili and a fun and entertaining classic western movie featuring Hoot Gibson and Ken Maynard, two icons of the western genre, and again while flawed the movie really was a fun watch. As you can see, the camp fire is going out and the bright stars are filling the night sky and that means its time for us to hit the dusty old trail but before we do, I would like to let you know that our next update will be taking us back to the world of Pro Wrestling and will also kick off our WrestleMania month as we will have three updates all based on R.I.W Wrestling Legends with the first one being about Big John Studd, who is one of my all time favorite big man wrestlers and then you will have to wait and see who the second Legend is we cover! So until then, read a Western comic or three, watch a western film or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next update at the Rotten Ink Arena for a body slam challenge.

Wild West Round Up: War Of The Range (1933)

Posted on March 2, 2022 by bloodlinematt

Welcome to the first ever “Wild West Round Up” update. Now I am sure many of you are wondering what the heck have you gotten yourself into and what this update is all about…well let me tell you what this new themed update is all about! First thing, these updates will be a way to celebrate classic Western films of the past and I will be taking a look at films from the 1920’s through early 1970’s, and will only be covering films that are released by Alpha Video as I feel they are a company that holds the charm of the films that I want to cover, plus I am a fan of Alpha Video as they have released many amazing Silent Horror Films that other companies have ignored. I am sure many of you friends and readers did not know that I am a big fan of old western films and this is my way of sharing my love for this classic film genre. Each update will only have one film that I will breakdown and talk about the plot of the film and will also use pictures to do so. I will also very quickly talk about the films production as well as the lead star of the film, and sometimes even the director, as they are very important to the film as well. Also for these updates I will find a chili recipe online and cook up a batch and watch the movie while eating a bowl or two…and the chili and the film will be graded on a 1-4 star scale! This should be a fun time as Rotten Ink Ranch has been kind enough to allow us to sit around a campfire and cook some chili and chat about good old western films. So if you are ready, let’s start this first ever Wild West Round Up themed update and take a look at the film War On The Range. Also want to thank my friend Jason Young for the logo that will be used on all the Wild West Round Up updates.

War Of The Range was created in 1933 and was a B-Movie that was quickly made by Producer Burton King and Monarch Film Corporation in order to cash in on the American Western boom with the birth of talkie films. Director J.P. McGowan was brought in after a very long history of directing western films and was selected cause he knew how to make a film on a budget and make them entertaining. The leading man for the film was Tom Tyler who was a super popular western superstar who thrilled audience in the silent era and was still a draw in the world of talkies. And let’s take a moment to talk about Tom Tyler who really was a very iconic actor! Tom Tyler’s real name is Vincent Markowski and was born in Port Henry, New York on August 9, 1903 and had many amazing jobs in his life time from as he was a seaman, a coal miner, lumberjack, prizefighter, amateur weightlifter and finally landed on being a actor! Some of his none western roles that have made an impact in Hollywood are “Adventures Of Captain Marvel” as he played Captain Marvel, “The Phantom” as he played The Phantom and the Universal Monster movie “The Mummy’s Hand” where he played The Mummy! Tom passed away from complications of scleroderma and heart failure on May 3, 1954 at the age of 50. Other actors brought into the film included Charles K. French, Ted Adams, Caryl Lincoln, Lane Chandler, Slim Whitaker and Lafe Mckee to name a few. The film when released was a minor hit, but sadly over time it has been mostly forgotten and even has fallen into the Public Domain and has a middle of the road user rating on IMDB.

For this first Wild West Round Up review I looked for a film that I have never seen and one that had a star that I have heard of and enjoyed in other films and that’s why War Of The Range was selected! And for the first meal of chili we decided on “Creamy Italian Sausage Chili” a recipe by Emily Walker that sounded oh so fantastic! So I am going to eat a bowl of this chili and watch this classic western film and after talking about the films plot I will of course give both the film and the chili star ratings! But before we start the review I would first like to show you all what the Creamy Italian Sausage Chili looks like in a bowl with some cheese on top with a dash of sour cream.

This is going to be so much fun and something I have been thinking about doing for a few years now! And I will be grading both the film and the chili on a classic 1-4 star scale. I also want to say on my film ratings I am basing it on a scale that is for this era of classic westerns. So pull up a rock and gather by the campfire as its time to eat some home cooked chili and watch a western flick brought to us from the folks at Alpha Video.

War Of The Range
Starring: Tom Tyler and Caryl Lincoln Directed: J.P. McGowan
Not Rated 1933 58min Alpha Video DVD Full Frame

Tom Bradley and Tony head to the end of the ranch and see a group of workers putting up a fence, and Tom goes down to question them why they are doing so and is told that is own father Duke gave the orders. He is not happy with this and heads to Box Ranch to talk to his dad as he is upset that by putting the fence up it will hurt other ranchers who need to move their herd as it keeps them away from water and makes them go a longer route. Tom also says this could start the War Of The Range again as Bull Harris a fellow rancher is itching to go to war with the Bradley family. Duke yells at his son to go back to work and Tom and Tony ride off, just as this happens from the other side of the ranch comes Bull Harris and several of his men, and they are not happy and Bull threatens Duke with death, the only witness is James Warren who is a worker of Dukes…but when Duke walks away we find out that Bull really works for James and they are stealing cattle!

Tom and Tony while working the ranch see Bull and his men trying to steal the cattle and some of Bull’s men open fire on them! Tom tells Tony to head to the ranch and warn his father as he goes after them. Tony ends up capturing one of the thieves who before he can tell Tom who the leader of the gang is takes a bullet from Bull who is hiding up on a hill and does not what the secret out. Tom in turn opens fire and kills Bull’s horse who is forced to run away on foot, but Tom does not get a look at Bull so the mystery of who is stealing the cattle is unsolved. They are able to save the heard, run off the thieves and turn the cows over to the Cartwright Packing Company. They also get news that nesters have taken shelter on the old ranch house on the land and Duke sends Tom and others to run them off, Tom does not like this but does what his Dad tells him and rides off to the old ranch house.

The Carlysle family (Father George, Daughter Grace and son Jimmy) with a wagon full of stuff is at the old ranch home at Bradley Pass as the Box Ranch hands show up they tell the family they are no welcome and start bulling them as well as knocking around their belongings. Grace tries her best to stand her ground as she tells them that they now own this ranch house, but they men get them on a wagon and send them packing as the wagon is out of control, due to the men scaring the horses. Tom sees the wagon out of control and leaps from his horse onto the wagon and is able to bring it to a stop. Grace then shows Tom the deed to the house and land as his father Duke was not the owner of that land and it’s now the Carlysle family. Tom takes the family back to their home and tells his fathers men that this family is here to stay and to tell his father they own the land proper. As the men leave Tom stays to help the family move in, and Grace is shocked that he went against the wishes of his own father. Later in the day Duke shows up at the Carlysle home and he and Tom scuffle and Duke even punches his son in the face as the ranch hands watch on, and James is loving every second of this family meltdown. Tom shows his Dad the legal papers and this angers Duke so much that he threatens his son that he will find a way to get the land and run the Carlysle Family and Tom out of the state! He disowns his son in front of everyone and Grace is upset that her family has causes such a rift. And Tom is happy to see that Tony has decided to stay and help the family as well as he and Tom are friends. James on the way back to the Box Ranch questions Duke about if he is wrong on owning the land, and Duke says he is never wrong and tells James to go get the sheriff as he thinks the law might be able to fix this mess and get “his” land back.

Back at the Carlysle house Tony is trying to teach Jimmy how to mount a horse fast, and is goofily failing at his task. While Tom is also helping with chores around the house and its clear that love is blooming between he and Grace as they share glances and smiles. Bull Harris then shows up and talks with Grace and George and says he is there to give them a big welcome to the area as well as give them a proposition. Tom and Tony head to the house to see what’s going on, while inside Bulls deal is that he will give the family a herd of cattle if they do not allow other ranchers to move cattle through the area unless they get permission from Bull. And just before George signs the agreement Tom enters and punches Bull out the door and by gunpoint Tony runs him off the property. And Grace says she trusts the word of Tom who wants to alert all ranchers that they have permission to use the land when moving their cattle, and wants to also try and patch things up with his father with this news. And Tom takes young Jimmy with him to deliver the news.

Duke has just got paid for his shipment of cattle and James watches were he hides the money, as Tom and Jimmy show up to the ranch its untrustworthy James who informs Duke they are coming. Once inside Duke does not want to hear the deal that could end this war on the range as James has his ear and yells at his son. Tom and Jimmy head to a room to rest for a moment as well as gather Tom’s stuff, but Tom has faith in his father and Jimmy thinks Duke is a hardass. As Tom is getting his stuff the Sheriff shows up and Duke goes outside to explain the situation of the land deed, as James rushes to steal the hidden money he is caught red handed by Jimmy! James knocks out Jimmy and then as Tom comes in looking for his young friend James grabs him from behind and screams for help and acts as if Tom was going to steal the money! James acts as if Tom had Jimmy run away with the cash and now Tom is under arrest but breaks free and gets to his horse and rides away and the law is on his trail. Duke is heart broken over this all and once back inside hears the moans of the injured Jimmy and finds him and takes him to a room to get better, as he thinks the youngster can tell him the truth of what happened to his money and who is the thief, James agrees and is also very worried.

Tom has a good lead on the law that is tracking him for the crime he did not commit, he jumps from his horse and hides in a tree as the officers ride past him and follow the tracks of his horse. He does how ever drop down on the last lawman and knocks him from his horse and then punches him out, steals his horse and heads back to his dad’s ranch. Meanwhile back at the ranch Duke is sitting with the knocked out Jimmy, and is feeling bad for the youngster as well as is making him think of his own son Tom. James is peeking in on them and pulls his gun out and takes aim as he is going to clearly kill the youngster as well as his boss to get away with the crime, but he is stopped by Tom who has arrived just in time, but James is able to smash Tom with a chair and then escape. James meets up with Bull Harris and his men and alerts them they are all heading north and that they need to steal all of Duke’s cattle as they leave.

The Sheriff and his lawman give up the chase on Tom, as James leads his men into the pasture to start stealing the herd and lucky for Duke the Sheriff takes notice of them doing so and head back to get Duke and his men to stop the steal. Meanwhile at the Box Ranch Jimmy is awake and tells Duke that it was James who stole the cash and with that Duke has a change of heart about the Carlysle Family as well as his son as they patch things up. The Sheriff arrives and Duke goes to get his men as Tom heads to the Carlysle house as its in the path of the cattle rustlers and he has to make sure Grace is alright and unharmed. While at the Carlysle house Bull and one other man arrive and Bull enters the home and roughs up Tony as well as George, but Tony tries to fight back against Bull and by accident Bull even knocks out his own man! As Tom arrives Bull tries to shoot him, but Tony is able to yank the rug from under Bull’s feet and causes his aim to be off. Tom and Bull exchanged punches as the Tom finally knocks out Bull and Grace, George and Tony tie the knocked out bandits up Tom heads out to meet up with his dad to stop the rest.

James has his men take down the newly built barbwire fence so they can sneak the cattle out and across the Carlysle land, but James sees the posse lead by Duke is coming and they try and get away, but the posse does not stop the chase even with the cattle safe. Both sides have a shoot out in a wooded area, and The Sheriff is hit by a bullet and is injured badly. James’s men are loosing the gunfight and he gets on a horse and tries to run away, but Tom sees him and gets his horse and gives chase. Tom and James meet near a cliff and have a fight still while on horseback, and James ends up falling over the cliff to his death. Later at the Box Ranch Jimmy is still injured in bed and is visited by Tom, Duke, Grace, George, The Sheriff and Tony and they declare this is the end of the Range War. In the end its shown that Tom and Grace are getting married and that Duke has truly grown to love the Carlysle family like they are his own.

Review: War Of The Range is a good very cheaply and poorly shot western that uses an epic sounding title that promises big gun fights between feuding ranches but delivers a way slower paced story that is about a father and sons differences on how to protect their ranch and how to treat strangers. I really enjoyed the film over all and feel that while it was not very action packed the story was a familiar tale of bad guys never win and you are never to old to change. Tom Tyler does a great job in the role of Tom Bradley who is a good hearted man who just wants to be fair and do the right thing for all, its crazy to think this smiling cowboy would be wrapped up and play the Mummy for Universal seven years later. I was also a little puzzled by some of the camera angles used in the film as at times they are wide shots that just look awkward and lack the impact that they intended. It’s also very clear that the film had a very low budget as much of the film is shot outside and many sets that are used are clearly on sound stages. The worst part of this film has to be Tony the Box Ranch hand and close friend of Tom’s who was played by Billy Franey as this old man character is just so bad and brings comedy elements to the film that fall flat and most of his dialogue is just him saying “Not So Good” and that’s how I would sum up him in the film. But while that character was bad I did find Jim Warren to be a great cheesy classic western bad guy who smirked and hammed up the screen whenever he was on and Ted Adam was a perfect casting for that role. Caryl Lincoln who was the actress that played Grace Carlysle was also a prefect casting as she is super cute and plays the sweet girl next door who is also strong willed. I also love the over sold fist fights in this film that at times are so over done that it looks like when two friends are fake fighting in a combat sports event for the camera. Over all I have to say this is a good 30’s western film that is nothing special but does a good job of delivering an entertaining simple watch that has some fist fights, gun fights and has some really bad cowboy slapstick jokes. I should also note that the Alpha Video print is not great and has many flaws to it, but I loved it as the flaws brought back many memories of watching these type of western films at my Grandparents house growing up. Also the cover has Tom Bradley with a rifle and that never happens at all in this film.

Now lets talk about The Creamy Italian Sausage Chili and my thoughts on it! Making of the chili was easy and took Juliet 15 minutes of prep time and around 45 minutes of cook time! And first impression of the Creamy Italian Sausage Chili once cooked was that it looked really tasty and it smelled really good. And when adding some cheese and a little sour cream it looked even more tasty! When sitting down to watch the movie and I took the first bite of the chili it was a good creamy taste and the sausage really popped with the cream cheese flavor. And after eating a few more spoonful’s the flavor really kicked in and I found that I really liked the chili! It was not overly spicy nor hot and almost to be honest would have been a great dip for tortilla chips or even corn chips. In fact when we make this chili again as yes I would make another batch I might try it with corn chips. And the weather outside the day we ate this chili was slightly chilly and this chili was a great way to warm up and was a great meal to watch a western to.

Movie: **1/2

Chili: ***1/2

Well I hope you enjoyed this first ever “Wild West Round Up” update as it was really fun as well as tasty to do for me as not only did I get to watch a classic western film, but I also got to eat a bowl of chili that was a great meal. While War On The Range was not an amazing film I also really did enjoy it as well and to be honest while I was really hard on the Tony character in the review, he did serve a purpose in the film and his friendship with Tom was well done as the two were loyal to watching out for one another. And to be honest I am looking forward to doing another of these updates that I will say should happen sometime in 2023! So lets put out the old campfire and cover up the chili pot as the sun is setting here at Rotten Ink Ranch and it’s time for us to turn in for the night, but before we do I would like to tell you that the next update will be a “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update and will be about 2001 film The Mummy Returns! So until next time read a western comic or three, watch a western film or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next update for a horror filled adventure.