This movie has a lot going for it - Tex Ritter, his singing and his wry sense of humor; Dave O'Brien and his presence; Guy Wilkerson as comic relief and the worst telegraph operator in history; Patti McCarty as a together woman; Betty Mills as a tough frontier woman. On top of this, the story is not a warmover of other "B" movie plots. It created real tension and delivered a WWII message about despotism and freedom. All of that goes to making this movie enjoyable, but the best is still the way the gang leaders came to justice! I have never seen that in any other movie. You shouldn't miss that.
6 Reviews
Tex Ritter Goes To War
FightingWesterner24 September 2009
Gangsters Of The Frontier comes barreling out of the gate with a raucous opening sequence where the formally deposed Kern gang comes riding back into the town of Red Rock, flooding the streets with pistol shooting desperadoes in an attempt to force the townspeople into working their gold mine for free!
Tex Ritter, the man who busted up the gang years earlier and Dave O'Brien lead the resistance against the outlaws in this entertaining entry in Producers Releasing Corporation's Texas Rangers series.
Tex's great patriotic speech about tyranny and freedom makes one realize that this isn't just another Saturday matinée B-western but a two-fisted World War Two allegory with the Kern gang as the Germans making a comeback after the first World War and Tex representing the good old USA, back again to clean things up!
This is fast paced and action packed, with some great tunes by Tex Ritter and a (literal) scenery smashing climax!
Tex Ritter, the man who busted up the gang years earlier and Dave O'Brien lead the resistance against the outlaws in this entertaining entry in Producers Releasing Corporation's Texas Rangers series.
Tex's great patriotic speech about tyranny and freedom makes one realize that this isn't just another Saturday matinée B-western but a two-fisted World War Two allegory with the Kern gang as the Germans making a comeback after the first World War and Tex representing the good old USA, back again to clean things up!
This is fast paced and action packed, with some great tunes by Tex Ritter and a (literal) scenery smashing climax!
"If men can carry guns Mr. Wyatt, so can women!"
classicsoncall20 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
It's been five years since sheriff Tex Haines (Tex Ritter) hung up his guns in the town of Red Rock after sending the Kern gang to jail. Now the Kerns are back with a vengeance, arriving with guns blazing in a rousing opener with the intention of forcing the men of the town to work in their local gold mines.
Ritter, Dave O'Brien and Guy Wilkerson formed a Western cowboy trio of the Forties that went by the name of the Texas Rangers. In this story, the boys swear in the local ranchers as territorial Rangers, but once they get their assignments, they operate almost like a vigilante committee. Their first order of business is to blow up the mines, and with the Kern Gang on the defensive, make their attack in a final showdown to put down the bad guys for good.
In any other B Western, the plot would have been fairly typical, but it's Ritter's rousing reference to the country's forefathers and their defense of freedom and liberty that strikes the viewer as being something just a bit different. Released in September of 1944 just a few months after America's landing on the beaches of Normandy in World War II, this film was definitely geared toward instilling a sense of patriotism in the matinée viewer. My summary line further captures the spirit of the war effort whereby women were called on to fill in for all types of jobs while the men were off to battle.
Panhandle Perkins (Guy Wilkerson) generally handles the comedic chores for the Rangers, and this time out he has a gimmick with a homing pigeon that he keeps on hand just in case the telegraph lines are compromised. Henchman Pete (Charles King) shoots the bird out of the sky when he first takes off on a mission, and if I had to bet, this is the only time in film history that a pigeon played possum long enough to get up later and make another go of it. Probably best not to think on that one too long.
The grand finale results in a mega showdown back in Red Rock as the Rangers storm the Kern gang, and in a move I haven't seen before, the two main villains (I.Stanford Jolley and Marshall Reed) wind up shooting each other! But wait, that wasn't the biggest twist. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that for once, Panhandle got the girl!
Ritter, Dave O'Brien and Guy Wilkerson formed a Western cowboy trio of the Forties that went by the name of the Texas Rangers. In this story, the boys swear in the local ranchers as territorial Rangers, but once they get their assignments, they operate almost like a vigilante committee. Their first order of business is to blow up the mines, and with the Kern Gang on the defensive, make their attack in a final showdown to put down the bad guys for good.
In any other B Western, the plot would have been fairly typical, but it's Ritter's rousing reference to the country's forefathers and their defense of freedom and liberty that strikes the viewer as being something just a bit different. Released in September of 1944 just a few months after America's landing on the beaches of Normandy in World War II, this film was definitely geared toward instilling a sense of patriotism in the matinée viewer. My summary line further captures the spirit of the war effort whereby women were called on to fill in for all types of jobs while the men were off to battle.
Panhandle Perkins (Guy Wilkerson) generally handles the comedic chores for the Rangers, and this time out he has a gimmick with a homing pigeon that he keeps on hand just in case the telegraph lines are compromised. Henchman Pete (Charles King) shoots the bird out of the sky when he first takes off on a mission, and if I had to bet, this is the only time in film history that a pigeon played possum long enough to get up later and make another go of it. Probably best not to think on that one too long.
The grand finale results in a mega showdown back in Red Rock as the Rangers storm the Kern gang, and in a move I haven't seen before, the two main villains (I.Stanford Jolley and Marshall Reed) wind up shooting each other! But wait, that wasn't the biggest twist. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that for once, Panhandle got the girl!
Ride, Rangers, Ride
dougdoepke28 February 2013
The rangers organize a town to rid it of a criminal gang.
Wow, a great roster of western baddies all in one movie—Jolley, King, & Reed. In fact, the pudgy King and the skinny Wilkerson have some pretty funny scenes together. The boys get to do a lot of hard riding and fast shooting in a familiar LA-area locale. Happily the boys don't aim too well so no one appears to get hurt in these big shootouts. But check out that imaginative climax, unlike any I've seen. And Dave (O'Brien) must have glue on that big white hat since no matter how vigorous the fisticuffs, it stays put on his head. Oh well, what front row kid like me ever cared about such niceties. Heck, even this current front row geezer gets a good chuckle now and again. Besides, I still like hearing Tex Ritter warble a western tune—here he gets three. All in all, it's a decent oater with a big cast of extras.
Wow, a great roster of western baddies all in one movie—Jolley, King, & Reed. In fact, the pudgy King and the skinny Wilkerson have some pretty funny scenes together. The boys get to do a lot of hard riding and fast shooting in a familiar LA-area locale. Happily the boys don't aim too well so no one appears to get hurt in these big shootouts. But check out that imaginative climax, unlike any I've seen. And Dave (O'Brien) must have glue on that big white hat since no matter how vigorous the fisticuffs, it stays put on his head. Oh well, what front row kid like me ever cared about such niceties. Heck, even this current front row geezer gets a good chuckle now and again. Besides, I still like hearing Tex Ritter warble a western tune—here he gets three. All in all, it's a decent oater with a big cast of extras.
Aside from a few covert references to WWII, a pretty ordinary B-western.
planktonrules24 March 2011
In the 1930s, 40s and 50s, Hollywood made approximately 2929342342097 B-westerns. A B-film was a relatively short film (about one hour) with a small budget and was intended as a second film in a double-feature. Kids loved these westerns and they were very formulaic--with a near-perfect hero, there was usually some singing, the baddies almost never getting killed but always being defeated and, often, a goofy sidekick there to add some color.
"Gangsters of the Frontier" is one of these films and in most ways it's pretty ordinary for the genre. It stars Tex Ritter (John Ritter's father) and he belts out song after song in the film--though his charisma left a bit to be desired. He has put the wicked Kern gang behind bars, but somehow they have escaped and are worse than ever--enslaving an entire town! It's obvious that the Kerns are meant as a metaphor for fascism and Ritter and his friends talk a lot about freedom and God-given rights in this one. They also have WOMEN join their posse--a reference to the women now working to support the war effort. All these details do make the film interesting to history teachers like me, but the average person will possibly miss all these references--as well as be relatively unimpressed by the film. It's not super-exciting and there's too much singing--even for one of these style films. It's just adequate--one of many, many, many adequate B-series westerns.
"Gangsters of the Frontier" is one of these films and in most ways it's pretty ordinary for the genre. It stars Tex Ritter (John Ritter's father) and he belts out song after song in the film--though his charisma left a bit to be desired. He has put the wicked Kern gang behind bars, but somehow they have escaped and are worse than ever--enslaving an entire town! It's obvious that the Kerns are meant as a metaphor for fascism and Ritter and his friends talk a lot about freedom and God-given rights in this one. They also have WOMEN join their posse--a reference to the women now working to support the war effort. All these details do make the film interesting to history teachers like me, but the average person will possibly miss all these references--as well as be relatively unimpressed by the film. It's not super-exciting and there's too much singing--even for one of these style films. It's just adequate--one of many, many, many adequate B-series westerns.
Tex and Tex are the best
hines-200023 March 2021
Tex Ritter and Dave 'Tex' O'Brien are throwing lead at the Kern gang right from
the get go. "So long as these two guns are hanging here Peace will reign in the
valley" says the plaque in Tex Ritter's office. However, the Kern gang lead by I.
Stanford Jolley are Marshall Reed are having none of it. Many great references to the War effort and patriotism. The long, slim great sidekick Guy Wilkerson as
Panhandle Perkins makes for some good scenes and contrast to the stocky favorite western henchman Charles King. Patti McCarty and Betty Miles symbolize the fighting spirit of the women's involvement in WWII. Look for some wonderful tunes by Ritter and a Victrola that won't quit even after the 'gangsters' shoot it out. The 'Frontier' is filled with music, action, humor and a top notch cast.
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