Smoky Canyon (1952) User Reviews

"I ought to nail you to a skunk!"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 7 December 2014]

I've probably seen a good dozen or more Westerns involving cattlemen against sheep-men and one thing always bothered me. With both sides in violent disagreement with each other, often leading to gunfights and lawlessness, how does one figure out who's on the 'right' side? It appears "Smoky Canyon" answered this question in a novel way - the Durango Kid came in on the side of the sheep herders, and his alter-ego Steve Brent wound up working with the cattlemen!

Actually it wasn't all that complicated. The cattlemen, operating under the lead of villain Carl Buckley (Tris Coffin) and his ally the sheriff (Larry Hudson), were in cahoots with a big Eastern syndicate to keep their herds thinned in order to keep the price of beef high. Seems to me this could have been a plot element without getting the sheep guys involved, but I didn't write the story.

In this one, Jack Mahoney's a good guy getting to use his own name as one of the characters. At one time engaged to Roberta Woodstock (Dani Sue Nolan), he wound up being framed for the murder of Miss Woodstock's father, while trying to resolve the cattle rancher/sheep herder conflict. Anyone else find it unbelievable that Mahoney's still on the run after a year while still in the same town of Timber Rock where all this is taking place?

You know, there's a head scratcher of a scene where the sheriff walks into Carl Buckley's office, they have a quick conversation, and Buckley gets up to leave in a hurry. But when he gets to the door he has to unlatch it before going out. Huh?

Smiley Burnette has a humorous role in this Durango outing, he's gets to baby-sit a lamb left orphaned on the range. There's a funny dream sequence where he imagines talking to the lamb and the critter talks back. Smiley gets so attached to the animal that when Buckley henchman Spade (Sandy Sanders) threatens to cut it's throat, Smiley goes ballistic and tears up the cabin with him. I don't think I ever saw Smiley get so riled.

I guess the highlight of the picture has to be that ending when the villains blow up a mountainside attempting to kill off part of their cattle herd. The way the mountainous formations come apart are rather surreal, but the best is when the rock slide buries Buckley and his gang! Was there ever a more inept bunch of outlaws than this?!?! Oh, and by the way, that event took place in Smoky Canyon, thereby bringing the story full circle back to the title.

One last item - this is only the second time in a Durango Kid film I've seen where the masked man reveals his identity to someone. He does it right at the end of the story when he lowers his bandanna to Miss Woodstock with a vow to keep her future husband Jack out of trouble with the cattle folks. The only other time I've seen it was in 1948's "Whirlwind Raiders" when he told young actor Don 'Little Brown Jug' Reynolds who he was while making him an honorary Texas Ranger. He then sent him on a mission to go back to town and spy on Smiley Burnette!

The Best of the "Durango Kid" Films

[aimless-46 · 7/10 · 9 July 2006]

Charles Starrett plays Secret Service agent Steve Brent, alias The Durango Kid (a masked rider dressed in black), who is caught up in a range war between cattlemen and sheep men in Timber Rock, Montana. Lawyer Carl Buckley (Tristram Coffin) and his henchmen (which includes the Sheriff) started the war as a way to kill off the cattle herds, a deal with a syndicate to drive up the price of beef. The cattlemen have combined their herds in "Smokey Canyon" (hence the title).

Jack Mahoney (Jock Mahoney a/k/a Jack Mahoney) is a sheep man who was once engaged to a cattleman's daughter Roberta (Dani Sue Nolan). Buckeley killed her father and framed Jack for the murder.

Brent infiltrates the gang to discover the murderer. Smiley Burnette (also using his actual name) plays a goofy scenic tour operator who is supposed to provide some comic relief. There is one very funny dream sequence featuring Smiley and some talking sheep.

1952 was the last year of the highly successful "Durango" series, Starrett made 65 films as the masked rider. In the films his civilian identity was always Steve, but he would use a different last name in each feature. His job as a Secret Service agent allowed him to plausibly take on a different occupation in a different town with each film.

"The Durango Kid" films are a rare example of a series that actually improved as it went along. Even in his forties Starrett could handle the action scenes and Mahoney often doubled as the masked rider. The duel identity thing was a real asset as it allowed considerable variety in each storyline.

"Smokey Canyon" benefits a great deal from the presence of Dani Sue Nolan. Her character is almost a contemporary heroine. She rides well, carries a gun, and joins in the action. Nolan was a talented actress and her casting seems to have inspired the crew to insert some actual close-ups into the film. Most of these things were just a series of wide shots so the close-ups, flashbacks, and dream sequences give "Smokey Canyon" the feel of a more expensive and modern film.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Nifty entry

[coltras35 · 6/10 · 30 January 2022]

The Durango Kid tries to help a man framed for murder and stop a range war between sheepmen and cattlemen in this typically nifty Durango Kid entry featuring the expected gunplay, thundering hooves, and a twist in the plot - and of course, Smiley Burnette is displaying his usual shenanigans, this time as a tour operator. Jock Mahoney also stars. He has been in a few Durango kid films, and here gets into the action and is almost run over by a stampede triggered off by dynamite in Smoky Canyon.