The Man from Utah (1934)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Robert N. Bradbury

Writers:

Lindsley Parsons (story)
Lindsley Parsons (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 May 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Romance | Sport | Western

Tagline:

WHIRLING ROPES AND SNARLING GUNS IN THE GALLOPING GRIP OF A GLAMOROUS DRAMA! (original-release poster - all caps)

Plot:

The Marshal sends John Weston to a rodeo to see if he can find out who is killing the rodeo riders who are about to win the prize money...

Plot Keywords:

Rodeo | Prize Money | Saddle | Killing | Whiskey

Cast

John Wayne	...	John Weston
Polly Ann Young	...	Marjorie Carter
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	Marshal George Higgins (as George Hayes)
Yakima Canutt	...	Cheyenne Kent
Anita Campillo	...	Dolores (as Anita Compillo)
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Spike Barton (as Ed Peil)
Lafe McKee	...	Judge Carter
George Cleveland	...	Nevada Sheriff

Runtime:

55 min | USA:52 min (Encore-Westerns Library Print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (colorized)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:U | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Lone Star Productions (I)

Goofs:

Continuity: The vegetation and geology near the river that Weston and Spike Barton fall into is different to the country through which they have been riding.

Quotes:

Marshal George Higgins: It seems mighty funny to me that every time this gang organizes a rodeo, their own men win all the first prizes. When it begins to look like an outsider is going to win, he gets sick. Two or three has even died from it.
John Weston: Well, you can't arrest them for that, Marshal.
Marshal George Higgins: No, maybe not. But it's might peculiar that when these outsides fall off them top broncs, they're suffering from snakebite. I tell ya, it just ain't natural.
John Weston: What do you want me to do? Get snake bit?

Movie Connections:

References West of the Divide (1934)

Soundtrack:

Sing Me a Song of the Wild

Decent film with a rodeo subplot

Marshal George Higgins appoints John Weston a deputy after the latter helps save the Wells Fargo office from being robbed. Higgins wants Weston to use his riding skills to enter the rodeo and prevent a gang from having the contests fixed and some of the riders killed before they win the prize money. Weston notices that Barton, a promoter in town, is the head of the crime ring and takes heed before he can enter the final races. Barton also has another sideline, robbing Carter's bank of the gate receipts following his attempted "snake bite" treatment for Weston. Very good Lone Star film for Wayne being one of Bradbury's better directorial and writing efforts. Considering Canutt was one of the riders in the rodeo, it would have been nice to see some actual riding shots instead of the stock footage. Nice interaction between Wayne and Young (she was quite fickle). The climactic fight between Wayne and Peil was a bit of a letdown, but the rest of the film was able to make up for it. Rating, based on B westerns, 7.