Code of the Cactus (1939)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Sam Newfield

Writers:

Edward Halperin (original story)
Edward Halperin (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 February 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

When Blackton outbids Bill Carson. Bill suspects he will have to rustle cattle to fulfill the contract...

Plot Keywords:

Mexican | Hijacker | Lightning Bill Carson Series | Cattle Rustling | Truck

Cast

Tim McCoy	...	'Lightning' Bill Carson / Miguel
Ben Corbett	...	Magpie
Dorothy Short	...	Joan
Ted Adams	...	Thurston
Alden 'Stephen' Chase	...	Foreman James (as Alden Chase)
Dave O'Brien	...	Bob Swane
Forrest Taylor	...	Blackton
Bob Terry	...	Lefty, gang truck driver
Slim Whitaker	...	Sheriff Burton (as Slim Whittacker)
Frank Wayne	...	Jake, gang truck shotgun

Runtime:

56 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved

Company:

Victory Pictures Corporation

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lefty, gang truck driver: You know, Jake, back in Chicago I never thought I'd be punchin' cattle... mostly belongin' to other people.
Jake, gang truck shotgun: Yeah, usin' trucks for rustlin' is the latest thing.

Soundtrack:

Across The Boundary Line

Great cast, good script and story

Even though the version I was watching had a big bite taken out -- apparently at least one reel missing -- this was an exciting and very well done Western movie.

Starring Tim McCoy, one of the best of the cowboys, "Code of the Cactus" had a sterling cast, with such shining lights as Art Davis and Kermit Maynard among the uncredited.

Usually, I don't like mixing horses and trucks; it seems anachronistic.

This time, though, there is no conflict of eras or settings, and everything fits together.

It had been a long time since I had seen Col. Tim, and though I already knew he was a great cowboy, it turns out he's a pretty good actor, too.

And Art Davis, who has starred in some dismal features, showed here he could by gosh sing.

Too often, low-budget features limit the number of speaking parts, but "Code of the Cactus" has a plenitude of characters given a chance to show that, yes, they might be villains, but they're people too, and have their own individual personalities.

Ben Corbett is someone of whom I had known nothing, but he is obviously a talented actor.

My hero Dave O'Brien is here too, and even a bad movie is made better by his presence.

This is already a good movie, and Dave O'Brien with Tim McCoy makes it even a great movie.

I just hope that, when you get to watch it, it's all there.