When a crowdfunding campaign opened for this movie under the aegis of Truefilm, I was very happy to kick my money in for a DVD. Borzage's mature works can be described as Magical Realism, a special world in which nothing is impossible, especially in the face of love.
The DVD just arrived. I wasted no time in watching it. There is nothing in it, alas, that smacked of Borzage's great works, but it proved to be a fine A Western with a lovely score compiled, orchestrated and conducted by David L. Gill.
Forrest Stanley returns to his family's ranch at El Palomar. His father has died and there is a huge mortgage on the land, held by Eastern banker Alfred Allen, who intends to improve the land and sell it to Warner Oland -- playing a Japanese agent -- who will sell it to Japanese farmers. Because Stanley is a returning veteran, he has a year to pay off the mortgage. Allen and Oland fight him: Allen fairly, Oland vilely. Stanley has the support of all the locals and Allen's daughter, Marjorie Daw.
The movie is full of exciting scenes, great photography and much good humor. It is blighted to the modern viewer because of its racism. Four years earlier, Japan was an ally during the First World War and many a spy thriller had a Japanese agent fighting the good fight, but times had changed, and this movie reflects that the Yellow Peril was again something to be feared.
Even if this is not a perfect film, it is a very good one and an important revival in the works of an important director. It is worth the time of anyone who wishes to see as much of Borzage's work as possible.
