The Age of Commercialism

Sorry, this movie sucks

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

The copy I watched courtesy of YouTube was clean and crisp, and the film itself was good by the standards of the mid-1930s.Unlike some other reviewers here on IMDb, I've always thought Fred MacMurray an acceptable Western actor, and I found Jack Okie irritating in the first part of the film - especially as he rode along with MacMurray anticipating a romantic encounter with a señorita. The back projection was reasonable enough, certainly compared with that in "The Plainsman", issued in the same year.With much of the film being set before Texas became a state (which happened in 1845), there were lots of anachronisms - relating to the Rangers' kit and weapons for example. And the telegraph system was very much in its infancy - I wonder if it had reached Texas?One might also mention the unrealistic death following the shot under the table.On the plus side, the fight between the Rangers and the Indians was excellent and Lloyd Nolan in his early scenes radiated charisma - before reverting to the sort of nasty character he was to portray in later films.

Two Texas bandits (Fred MacMurray and Jack Oakie) join the Texas Rangers in order to avoid being caught and slowly reform. They take on raids by Native Americans and another bandit (Lloyd Nolan) while MacMurray further reforms thanks to a beautiful woman (Jean Parker). Exciting action sequences (particularly a scene with falling boulders)and humor by Oakie are among the highlights. MacMurray, then at the start of his lengthy career, is quite likable in spite of a tough facade. Benny Bartlett is excellent as the young boy MacMurray mentors initially against the law and later on its side. Parker gets some better material than most heroines do in westerns. This is a perfect old movie to introduce today's youth to the great westerns of yesteryear.

What looks on paper like a fairly ordinary entry in the Western genre actually turned out to be something much better than that. Fred MacMurray stars as one of a trio of villains (other members are Lloyd Nolan and Jackie Oakie, both good), two of whom hook up with the Texas Rangers after their stagecoach hold-up scam is rumbled. The duo - MacMurray and Oakie, who join to gain inside info on potential targets - are soon reformed by their experiences and find themselves at odds with former partner Nolan.The writing is very good here at times - and incredibly poor at others. The kangaroo court scene in a converted saloon, which is presumably intended to emphasise MacMurray's conversion to law and order, simply makes him look like as much of a bully as the villain he is attempting to try. Oakie's death scene is very well written though and, despite the situation, its timing comes as a complete surprise.In some respects it's a mystery how this one got past the censors considering MacMurray never really pays for the crimes he committed at the beginning of the film...

I'm sure in casting The Texas Rangers Paramount had it in mind to broaden Fred MacMurray's appeal by putting him in a western. MacMurray had been a star at Paramount for two years and had appeared in mostly light comic parts as he did throughout his career. I mean Paramount could have cast Gary Cooper or Joel McCrea, both of whom were available at the studio. MacMurray did the film and gave a creditable performance, but as he remarked, "the horse and I were never as one." He never really did feel comfortable in westerns and ones he later appeared in were long after his Paramount studio days were over.The Texas Rangers film is based on stories derived from Walter Presscott Webb's authoritative history of the legendary law enforcement outfit which was only published a few years back. Fred MacMurray, Jack Oakie and Lloyd Nolan play three outlaws who drift into Texas and become separated. MacMurray and Oakie join the Texas Rangers and Nolan continues his outlaw ways.Lots of good action here folks. A really great Comanche Indian attack sequence is well staged by Director King Vidor. Lots of familiar western faces support the leads like Fred Kohler and Gabby Hayes. Edward Ellis as the commandant of the Texas Rangers comes off a lot like Lewis Stone and had MGM instead of Paramount had made this film, Lewis Stone definitely would have been cast in Ellis's role.Despite MacMurray's misgivings about westerns, The Texas Rangers is a pretty good action western with great character development for the three leads.