THE MAN FROM UTAH (Lone Star Production for Monogram Pictures, 1934), directed by Robert N. Bradbury, stars John Wayne in his sixth western quickie (53 minutes) for the studio. Using many of the same supporting players from his previous efforts, with the exception of his female heroine, Polly Ann Young (sister to the better known Loretta Young), there's George, later "Gabby" Hayes. Yakima Canutt, Lafe McKee, Edward Piel Sr. And Artie Ortego in support. With Hayes not playing the villain this time around, it offers him a chance to enact someone on the right side of the law years before becoming a bearded sidekick to future cowboy legends as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. With Hayes working with one of many westerns opposite Wayne, no doubt they make a grand team.
The story opens with John Weston (John Wayne) singing "Sing Me a Song of the Wild," riding his horse bound for a small Nevada town. While there he finds U. S. Marshal George Higgins (George Hayes) taking down a posted bill advertising for men to fight fire in North Cliff National Forest. Though John is too late to obtain that position, he proves his worth for immediately taking part in helping the marshal capture robbers of the Wells Fargo Express Company. Liking his style in handling himself, Higgins hires John for a better position, that of a special undercover agent. He sends John to Dalton Valley to investigate suspicious rodeo activities where the gang arranges their own participants to win a grand prize while the outside winners mysteriously die from a snake bite. Taking the short cut trail to Dalton, John rescues Marjorie Carter (Polly Ann Young) and Dolores (Anita Campillo) from stagecoach attackers. For his heroism, Judge Carter (Lafe McKee), Marjorie's father, offers him a job as his deputy sheriff, but having other plans, John turns down the offer. As John registers at the Dalton Valley Rodeo contest as "The Man From Utah," Carter begins to have suspicions when noticing Weston's involvement with some men who may be the rodeo crooks out for the $3,000 prize money. Co-starring Edward Piel Sr. (Barton, head of the rodeo committee); Yakima Canutt (Cheyenne Kent); George Cleveland (Sheriff Justice) and Artie Ortego (The Bank Robber).
Fast paced production wastes no time getting to basics, even though there's more rodeo stock footage than mystery plot. Wayne's opening song is obviously dubbed since his singing does not match his verbal exchanges, a similar occurrence used for Wayne's debut Lone Star western of RIDERS OF DESTINY (1933). Fortunately studios soon gave singing cowboy roles to those who could actually sing.
Regardless of low-budget values, not long enough to bore or short enough to disappoint. THE MAN FROM UTAH is quite watchable for any John Wayne fan. Unseen for decades, THE MAN FROM UTAH and other Lone Star Wayne westerns began to surface both on home video and public television by the 1980s. Beware of prints that include intrusive music added, especially those broadcast on Encore Western Cable Channel and/or DVD process. (** saddles)
The story opens with John Weston (John Wayne) singing "Sing Me a Song of the Wild," riding his horse bound for a small Nevada town. While there he finds U. S. Marshal George Higgins (George Hayes) taking down a posted bill advertising for men to fight fire in North Cliff National Forest. Though John is too late to obtain that position, he proves his worth for immediately taking part in helping the marshal capture robbers of the Wells Fargo Express Company. Liking his style in handling himself, Higgins hires John for a better position, that of a special undercover agent. He sends John to Dalton Valley to investigate suspicious rodeo activities where the gang arranges their own participants to win a grand prize while the outside winners mysteriously die from a snake bite. Taking the short cut trail to Dalton, John rescues Marjorie Carter (Polly Ann Young) and Dolores (Anita Campillo) from stagecoach attackers. For his heroism, Judge Carter (Lafe McKee), Marjorie's father, offers him a job as his deputy sheriff, but having other plans, John turns down the offer. As John registers at the Dalton Valley Rodeo contest as "The Man From Utah," Carter begins to have suspicions when noticing Weston's involvement with some men who may be the rodeo crooks out for the $3,000 prize money. Co-starring Edward Piel Sr. (Barton, head of the rodeo committee); Yakima Canutt (Cheyenne Kent); George Cleveland (Sheriff Justice) and Artie Ortego (The Bank Robber).
Fast paced production wastes no time getting to basics, even though there's more rodeo stock footage than mystery plot. Wayne's opening song is obviously dubbed since his singing does not match his verbal exchanges, a similar occurrence used for Wayne's debut Lone Star western of RIDERS OF DESTINY (1933). Fortunately studios soon gave singing cowboy roles to those who could actually sing.
Regardless of low-budget values, not long enough to bore or short enough to disappoint. THE MAN FROM UTAH is quite watchable for any John Wayne fan. Unseen for decades, THE MAN FROM UTAH and other Lone Star Wayne westerns began to surface both on home video and public television by the 1980s. Beware of prints that include intrusive music added, especially those broadcast on Encore Western Cable Channel and/or DVD process. (** saddles)