This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

. . . Vera Hruba Ralston brings DAKOTA to vivid life, acting circles around her co-stars Walter Brennan and John Wayne, in many critics' opinions. If Ms. Ralston had been the mistress of a Major Axis Figure, such as Hitler or Mussolini, American Movie Studio Heads might have felt that she was carrying too much personal baggage for her supporting players such as Brennan and Wayne to lug (this dichotomy is literally pictured on-screen here in DAKOTA'S first scene). But just as this opening incident of DAKOTA illustrates, Ms. Ralston is particularly adept at jettisoning excess carry-ons in favor of winging it Au Naturel. That's right, Vera's portrayal of "Chicago Sandy" is so convincing that she hardly needs to be tricked out in period costumes, make-up, and wigs. One can just as easily picture Chicago Sandy as a working gal, brazenly baring everything as she murmurs Sweet Nothings into a john's ear. With such a star turn by Ms. Ralston, viewers may not even notice as the Dakotas are burned down to cinders around her, including the City of Fargo and all of the wheat farmers' homes, along with their crops. Wayne's bumbling may have gotten most of Fargo's population killed, but at least no one is wood-chipped to death in DAKOTA, as America exclaims, "Hubba, Hubba, Hruba!"

Dakota finds John Wayne running off with Vera Hruba Ralston, daughter of railroad magnate Hugo Haas. A whim of Ralston's finds them on the way to Dakota Territory instead of the Duke's planned trip to California. Before long Wayne finds himself mixed up with the local farmers and their running battle with town boss of Fargo, Ward Bond and his three loathsome sidekicks Mike Mazurki, Paul Fix, and Grant Withers. Mike Mazurki is a particularly nasty individual here, he probably has the best performance in the film.Dakota was directed by Joseph Kane who directed at Republic a whole lot of Roy Rogers B westerns and he uses the same fast pace here. The running time is only 82 minutes and a Wayne film from Republic was an A product for that studio by 1945.One big drawback in Dakota is the portrayal by Nick Stewart as Walter Brennan's crew on his river steamboat. It's a pretty bad stereotype one of the worst I've ever seen on film.Dakota also shamelessly rips off the wheat burning scene from Samuel Goldwyn's The Westerner. I wouldn't be surprised if Goldwyn let Yates use some of the footage from The Westerner for a rental fee.However fans of John Wayne and of westerns in general will like it.

John Wayne plays a gambler that comes to the aid of wheat farmers being swindled by crooked land grabbers. This is a fast paced 82 minute Republic Pictures movie with an obvious low budget look. A pretty good shoot 'em up though. Other stars include Ward Bond, Walter Brennan and Nick Stewart. Was not impressed with Wayne's love interest Vera Ralston. Burning of the wheat fields is dramatic. And of course The Duke saves the day.

This is possibly the best of the one hour movies that John Wayne made for Republic Pictures. From the opening sequence the film moves at a brisk pace. Although the theme is one of helping people protect their lands and their future, there are also lighter moments of comedy.