Alias John Law (1935)

By CinemaSerf

To be fair to Robert Bradbury, he tries to pack quite a lot into this pacy little western with Bob Steele ("John") trying to outwit the evil "Kootney Kid" (Earl Dwire) who is trying to swindle him out of his late mother's ranch - there be oil there! "Kootney" had robbed the stage, and procured a letter that he presented to the local judge (a fun scene featuring Robert McKenzie) to validate his claim to the ranch, and he also accuses "John" of really being the man behind the mail robbery - allegations which our hero, his gal "JoAnne" (Roberta Gale) and his useful lip-reading sidekick "Bootch" (the scene stealing Buck Connors) must refute if they are to thwart his cunning plans. It's interesting that in modern times when we can't go to the park without being identified several dozen ways, that back then, out West, identification basically relied on you actually being who you said you were, and guns were often the final arbiter - as is the case here. Its not a bad film, just nothing at all new and Steele is pretty bland.