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Gun Law

1938, Movie, NR, 60 mins

Gun Law: Review

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U.S. marshal O'Brien, on his way to the town of Gunsight, is ambushed and relieved of his gun, his horse, and his identification by a mysterious outlaw gunslinger known as the Raven (Pawley). Trailing the outlaw, O'Brien finds him dying beside a poisoned water hole. When the outlaw dies, O'Brien retrieves his own possessions, plus a letter of introduction addressed to Gleckler, a Gunsight outlaw leader. His horse also poisoned, O'Brien solicits a ride from parson O'Connor and his daughter, the lovely Oehmen, returning in their buckboard to Gunsight. Villains Bond and McDonald attempt to prevent O'Connor from holding Sunday services in the town, but O'Brien intervenes and fists fly. By prearrangement, after polishing off the pair, O'Brien meets with "Singing Sam" (Whitley), an undercover deputy. Next O'Brien introduces himself to Gleckler as the notorious Raven, killer for hire. Assigned by Gleckler to eliminate the U.S. marshal whose arrival is imminent, O'Brien coolly displays his own badge and papers, mute evidence of his having anticipated his task. With this disclosure, the true leader of the outlaw band--the town's mayor, Everton--reveals himself, suggesting that O'Brien impersonate himself to lull the townsfolk into a sense of false security while the gang robs the payroll stagecoach. O'Brien and the other deputies prevent the robbery and capture the criminals. O'Brien then hurries back to engage the remaining villains in a poker game to protect his imposture. Discovering O'Brien's perfidy, Everton and Gleckler fake a robbery at the local hostelry and plant incriminating evidence in his room. They then race for the bank to procure their stored ill-gotten gains, planning to leave town before their duplicities are discovered. Everton kills Gleckler in order to secure all the spoils for himself. Escaping a pursuing posse, O'Brien arrives at the bank, but his intentions are thwarted by villains Bond and McDonald. In a Mack Sennett-style multiple shootout, O'Brien is caught by the posse. As he is about to be hanged, Oehmen arrives with O'Brien's deputies, and all ends well. A well-made western, unlike many of its precursors. The B-western genre comprises thousands of productions, utilizing only a bare handful of plots. Screenwriter Drake had used this very story line many times before (WHEN THE LAW RIDES, 1928; GUN LAW, 1929; THE RECKLESS RIDER, 1932; and WEST OF THE DIVIDE, 1934). O'Brien, who died in 1985, was a fine actor who had appeared in such serious films as F. W. Murnau's SUNRISE (1927). Unlike many cowboy stars of the time, he was entirely credible; audiences were aware that he could handle the fight scenes himself. RKO had previously purchased a number of O'Brien starrers for release; this was the first of a series for which RKO was totally responsible and resulted in an exclusive contract for its star. Songs in this version were "Breezy Whiskers" (Ray Whitley), "So Long Old Pinto" (Oliver Drake), "Pappy Was a Gun Man" (Whitley, Drake). leave a comment
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