The Star Packer (1934)

Director:

Robert N. Bradbury

Writer:

Robert N. Bradbury (story)

Release Date:

30 July 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Western | Romance

Tagline:

He Dared Death In The Outlaw's Lair!

Plot:

A gang working for The Shadow is terrorizing the town. John Travers decides to take on the job of sheriff and do something about it.

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | Hostage | Male Female Relationship | Saloon | Outlaw

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

John Wayne	...	U.S. Marshal John Travers
Verna Hillie	...	Anita Matlock
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	Matt Matlock (as George Hayes)
Yakima Canutt	...	Yak
Billy Franey	...	Henchman in the Stump
Eddie Parker	...	Henchman Parker (as Ed Parker)
Earl Dwire	...	Henchman Mason
Thomas G. Lingham	...	Sheriff Al Davis (as Tom Lingham)

Also Known As:

He Wore a Star (UK)

Runtime:

53 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Lone Star Productions (I)

Trivia:

The Matlock ranch-house is the same house as Juanita's house in The Desert Trail (1935) and as Malgrove's house in Blue Steel (1934).

Goofs:

Continuity: Travers rides from town to recover the saddlebags riding a grey horse, and swaps horses with Yak for a bay or chestnut one. Yet the two men who follow him make no comment about this obvious change.

Quotes:

Henchman: Who's that comin'?
Matt Matlock: It's that fool girl. Stop her! Take her to the hideout!

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years of John Wayne (2007) (TV)

Predictable, harmless and enjoyable

This is a real B movie, right down to the historical imprecision of a location featuring both stage coaches and telephones, its clichéd dialogue, a totally predictable plot straight out of the comics and enough protracted chases and gunfights to fill in the gaps left by a very thin script.

The Duke and his entourage provide plenty of ironic laughs but, if you want to take the movie at face value, it is quite enjoyable. The good guys win, the bad guys get their comeuppance, the Duke gets his gal and Yakima Canutt shows his tricks all in a setting that engrossed generations of schoolboys over most of the 20th century.

The Star Packers should also be of interest to students of cinema as its structure encapsulates the early movement of silent film into the talkies.