Well Deserved Praise

I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

Highly Overrated But Still Good

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

NOTES: The first of two films Wayne made supporting Tim McCoy at Columbia. The other: Two Fisted Law (1932), shot by the same team of Lederman and Kline, also from a William Colt MacDonald story. VIEWERS' GUIDE: Okay for all. COMMENT: As will be seen from the synopsis, Wayne's role is relatively unimportant. True, the actor is much his usual self, even at this early stage of his career, but he has only four or five scenes and is surprisingly even up-staged by an unknown bit-player as the climax (in which he takes no part) comes around. Aside from Wayne's presence, this is a typical "B" western of its period. Not a great deal of action - a couple of undercranked fist fights and a brief climactic shoot-out; a lesser amount of comedy relief (somewhat inepty provided by a youngish Walter Brennan already into old-timer parts but not yet having them down pat); a lot of simple-minded intrigue; and a smidgin of romance. All against settings far more grittily realistic (the saloon girls) than those we are now used to. And of course no background music - a deficiency that despite Kline's lucid photography, gives the movie a somewhat primitive air.

This Tim McCoy movie is well worth seeing due to its cast. Although today McCoy is pretty much forgotten, the film also features a couple future stars--John Wayne and Walter Brennan (spelling 'Brenan' here--and wearing a lot of makeup to make him look much older). Plus, for fans of old time comedy (such as Mack Sennett and Three Stooges films) will probably recognize Vernon Dent as the bartender.McCoy enters a new town and, oddly, everyone seems to know him and keep referring to him as 'Jim'. Apparently, this Jim was a bit of a hero who was loved by many and hated by others--but he died several years ago! Yet, in their eyes, Jim was somehow back from the dead. After talking with the bartender (with whom he develops an instant friendship), McCoy decides to pretend he is Jim to see what develops. However, this plan is sorely tested when he meets Jim's widow--who also thinks he's Jim! Using an old movie cliché, she faints at the sight of him. Soon he strikes up a friendship with John Wayne (who, for once, plays the sidekick role) and, along with some friends from back in Texas, they set out to set things right.While this is a pretty standard B-western (aside from the cast), it is a nice film to watch simply because the DVD is of such a nice quality. Unlike many of Wayne's early Bs, this one is in nearly pristine condition and even has DVD captions in three languages (including English). In addition, the acting and script is a bit better than you'd normally find in a low-budget western. While the film won't change your life and the whole mistaken identity idea is silly if you think about it, it's well worth seeing if you enjoy the genre...or if you have an hour to spare and want to try one of these old-time films.By the way, I'd like to explain my score of 7. This is relative to other Bs of the era as well as indicative of its watchability today. for what this is, it's pretty good. Also, if you like this one, McCoy and Wayne also did one other film together--"Two-Fisted Law".

Tim McCoy rides into town and everybody starts calling him Jim. It seems he is so similar, that the barman asks him to pretend to be Jim. By doing so he gets all the bad guys against him. When he later goes to Jim's ranch even Jim's wife has a hard time to accept the fact that he is not her husband. He starts administering her ranch, from where a lot of cattle is stolen, and the only cowboy of the ranch that is friendly to him is John Wayne. If you can accept the basic point of this story that two men can be so alike (without being twin brothers), this is an entertaining film, less primitive than most of the westerns of the early thirties. It is interesting to see here how John Wayne had in him all that it took to be a great star.

A classic, innocent western. Fun and, at times, funny. John Wayne as Steve is worth the whole 58 minutes. Tim McCoy over acts like nothing I've ever seen and the whole movie is simply enjoyable. Find it if you can.