Empty Saddles (1936)

Finding a deserted cattle ranch, Buck buys it and turns it into a dude ranch. But Buck is quickly in trouble with sheep men who want the ranch and then with outlaws who kidnap the daughter of the wealthy Mr. Grant.

Director:

Lesley Selander

Writers:

Frances Guihan (screenplay), Cherry Wilson (story)

Stars:

Buck Jones, Louise Brooks, Harvey Clark

Cast

Cast overview:
Buck Jones	...	Buck Devlin
Louise Brooks	...	Boots Boone
Harvey Clark	...	Swaps Boone
Charles Middleton	...	Cimarron (Cim) White
Lloyd Ingraham	...	Lem Jessup, alias Jim Grant
Frank Campeau	...	Kit Kress
Earl Askam	...	Henchman Red Madden
Ben Corbett	...	Vegas, head drover
Niles Welch	...	Jasper Kade
Gertrude Astor	...	Eloise Hayes
Claire Rochelle	...	Madge Grant
Charles Le Moyne	...	Mace
W.E. Lawrence	...	Cull Cole (as Wm. Lawrence)
Silver	...	Buck's Horse

Storyline

Buck runs into trouble when he buys a deserted cattle ranch that he turns into a dude ranch. To put on a show for the dudes, he sends his men after a nearby sheep herd with blanks in their guns. They are met with real bullets and one man is wounded. Then he learns that Boots, who helped him start the ranch, has been kidnaped and he heads out after her.

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Plot Keywords:

ranch | sheep | cattle | kidnapping

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Taglines:

Killers, Kidnappers, crooks...they scurried like rats before this six-foot whirlwind of wild-cat and whipcord astride a streak of horseflesh!

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Genres:

Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 December 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

O Rancho das Feitiçarias

Company Credits

Production Co:

Buck Jones Productions, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

67 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Orchid of the Prairie"
(uncredited)

User Reviews

Topnotch B Western

This enormously entertaining B western, combines sentimentality, mysticism, humor and interesting casting and acting as Buck buys a haunted ranch and turns it into a Dude ranch.

The strong story is supported by a likable cast, including silent comedian Gertrude Astor in a funny turn as a society lady who thinks the entire scene too too romantic, and a surprisingly strong Louise Brooks in a near-the-end role and some excellent musical backing.

Although her appearance in two late silent German movies made Miss Brooks an interesting star and her memoirs of the Hollywood scene made her important, in truth she rarely gave strong, animated performances. Although the camera loved her, she sleep-walked through most of her roles and was miscast in others. Her blank affect in most silent movies made it impossible for the audience to gain anything from her performances. Indeed, it was this blankness that the Europeans used to produce characters ruled by chaotic circumstances in a crazed world. However, in most of her movies, when called upon to act, she did not. This movie, surprisingly, is different. However, it was too late to save her career.

But here, everyone works. This what a Saturday afternoon oater should be and all too rarely was.