The Mysterious Mr. Sheffield (1935)
"The Law of 45's" (original title)

Lawyer Rontel has made Geologist Sheffield his prisoner and by power of attorney is using his money to buy the ranches of those driven off by his hired men. But when he goes after Hayden, ... See full summary »

Director:

John P. McCarthy

Writers:

William Colt MacDonald (novel), Robert Emmett Tansey (screenplay)

Stars:

Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, Molly O'Day, Al St. John

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	Tucson Two-Gun Smith (as Big Boy Williams)
Molly O'Day	...	Joan Hayden
Al St. John	...	Stoney Martin
Ted Adams	...	Gordon Rontell
Lafe McKee	...	Charlie Hayden (Joan's Father)
Fred Burns	...	Sheriff Tom
Curley Baldwin	...	Deputy Bill
Martin Garralaga	...	Joe Sanchez
Broderick O'Farrell	...	Sir Henry Sheffield (as Roderick O'Farrell)
James Sheridan	...	Henchman Toral (as Sherry Tansey)
Glenn Strange	...	Monte (Hayden Wrangler) (as Glen Strange)

Storyline

Lawyer Rontel has made Geologist Sheffield his prisoner and by power of attorney is using his money to buy the ranches of those driven off by his hired men. But when he goes after Hayden, Tucson and Stoney arrive and things begin to change.

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Plot Keywords:

three mesquiteers series | sequel | based on novel | number in title

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Taglines:

Where blood flowed red!

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 December 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Mysterious Mr. Sheffield

Company Credits

Production Co:

Normandy Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

57 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

User Reviews

When All Else Fails Reach For the Colt 45s

Guinn Williams who would later settle into a really nice career playing amiable lunkhead sidekicks with an occasional side trip to real villainy (check out Station West and The Glass Key for that)was in his earliest years a cowboy hero. Although not for any major studios. The Law Of 45s was made for a fly by night outfit called Normandy Pictures.

While he's pushing a herd of cattle Williams and sidekick Al St. John get themselves involved in a local range war in the Pecos Valley. Lawyer Ted Adams, an old hand at villainy in B westerns kidnaps geologist Broderick O'Farrell and forces him to sign a power of attorney. Than with money that O'Farrell has to negotiate with the ranchers, Adams terrorizes the ranchers until they sell to him outright. Of course he pretends to be their friend, just taking some jinxed property off their hands.

I never thought I'd see it, but Guinn Williams actually gets the girl in the person of Molly O'Day daughter of rancher Lafe McKee. Williams did a slew of these B westerns early in his career, but seeing this was a first for me.

Takes a bit of getting used to. Still The Law Of 45s even with that novelty is your typical B western, a bit flimsier in production values than most.