Western Gold

Lacking the necessary action element, this Civil War oater falls from memory as Ballew is chosen from among the Union ranks to make a trip to California to find out why gold shipments aren't making it to the North. He discovers that Mason, an old school chum, is behind the scheme. WESTERN GOLD is notable only because Ballew, the "hero," doesn't get to kill the bad guy; someone else gets him first. Ballew, in his first starring role, had been selected by producer Lesser as George O'Brien's replacement when the latter shifted his allegiance to RKO. Ballew, who allegedly dubbed John Wayne's singing voice in the "Singin' Sandy" series of westerns, gets a chance here to...