Expected more

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

A fairly interesting horse opera about the reestablishment of the Teas Rangers, following the withdrawal of Union troops in 1874, and their assignment to break up an all-star gang of desperados. Major John B. Jones, who heads the rangers, is based on a real person of the same name, who is credited with capturing outlaw Sam Bass, the name of a real outlaw, as is John Westley Hardin, Duke(King, actually) Fisher, Dave Rudabaugh, Butch Cassidy, and the Sundance Kid. In contrast, bank robbers Buffy Smith(Noah Beery, Jr.) and Johnny Carver(George Montgomery)are purely fictitious names. They are the two who are immediately captured after the daytime robbery of a Waco bank. They were beaned or shot by their accomplice, The Sundance Kid, who escaped by horse, after also accidentally killing the publisher of the local newspaper: the father of Helen(Gale Storm): the editor. Carver and Smith are offered freedom if they will join the rangers as scouts, primarily, since they know the hideouts of most outlaws in the area. They accept this challenge, and their story is(amazingly)published in the newspaper by the editor, who thinks they will be up to no good. Bass's gang are intent on stealing $50,000. in bills just received by the bank. However, Carver escapes out the back door with the $50,000. while the gang is knocking the front door down(amazingly in daylight!) He figures it's safer in his hiding place than in the bank vault, although initially no one else thinks so. Carver pretends to abandon the rangers to join Bass's gang, acting as an undercover agent. The gang plays along with him, but don't trust him, especially from his reaction to their shooting of his buddy Buffy Smith, who didn't desert. Carver tells them that a train shipment of $1,000,000. in gold is due in, but he won't tell them which train, until it's time to make the heist. Bass changes the heist plans at the last minute, in case Carver told the rangers about it(he did). The climax consists of the takeover of the train on a slow section of track, and decoupling the car with the Pinkerton agents in it. Carver fights with his accomplice over control of the locomotive, which goes past the point where the gang is supposed to swoop down on the train. The gang rides after the train, as it approaches the station where the rangers are gathered. The few light moments are mostly supplied by Helen's small nephews and by one meeting of Carver with Helen, in which he keeps shoving her back in her chair, then slaps her, then grabs and kisses her, all to impress his gang buddies, who are watching through the window. The expected romance between Carver and Helen doesn't show until the last minute.

When I was a kid and watching B films like this on television because generally they were the first to be sold there, I used to love these westerns where a gang of famous outlaw names band together for a united force of banditry in the old west. Such a film is The Texas Rangers, not to be confused with the Paramount film that starred Fred MacMurray in the Thirties. Different studio, different plot.William Bishop plays the gentlemanly, but deadly Sam Bass and he's put together quite an all star lineup of outlaws in the old west. Such desperadoes as Dave Rudabaugh, John Wesley Hardin, King Fisher and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid all in one gang.The answer is for Texas to reform the Texas Rangers and John Litel the captain as gotten a release for outlaws George Montgomery and Noah Beery, Jr. to set a pair of outlaws to catch some outlaws.Here's where an otherwise good film gets colossally stupid. If you're going to do that, create a false escape from prison. But Litel doesn't do that and newspaper editor Gale Storm whose father was accidentally shot in shootout that Montgomery and Beery were involved in prints their names and mission in her paper. I mean, really.Still with that handicap Montgomery gets the job done. Did you think he wouldn't?I have to point out two standout performances the first being William Bishop as Sam Bass. One elegant and deadly killer and no one's fool. The second is that of Jerome Courtland playing Montgomery's younger brother who has an extremely touching death scene.If only they had given Montgomery and Beery a cover story.

This movie starts off a bit slow but the story line captures you and before you know it you are caught up in a wonderful adventure, I was sorry to see it end. Wonderful location shots , snappy dialog, a really good cast , the villains are played to the hilt and the good guys start off a bit shaky but by the final reel they take control. In one scene Myron Healey an excellent actor, one of the perennial heavies in the fifties westerns forgets and leaves a modern day hearing aid on his right ear, it is clearly visible in the shot, I wonder how many people in the audience picked up on it. The movie ends up with a real good chase involving a train carrying a million dollars in gold and the band of outlaws and the Texas Rangers converging in the final shootout. Attention all western buffs, don't miss this one.

This movie gets my vote as Gale Storm's best western film. She is outstanding in her scenes with her leading man, George Montgomery. The film begins with Johnny Carver (Montgomery), Buff Smith (Noah Beery Jr) and the Sundance Kid (Ian MacDonald) robbing the Waco bank. Sundance double-crosses Carver and Smith, shooting Carver in the back and killing the town sheriff. Fade to prison where Carver and Smith are being held. Major Jones of the Texas Rangers gets the men freed to become Rangers and track down the outlaws who are terrorizing the good folks in Texas. They are released and become Rangers over Helen Fenton's (Gale Storm's) objections. As a Ranger, Johnny meets up with his kid brother (played by DYNASTY director Jerome Courtland) who is killed by the Sam Bass gang. Johnny vows his revenge and gets it. George Montgomery's scenes with Gale are absolutely first rate. The cinematography by Ellis W. Carter is breathtaking! Gale told me that The TEXAS RANGERS was filmed "on location" but in Hollywood-not Texas. No matter, the scenery is beautiful and real...not projected. This is a four star picture in my book. Well worth seeing and owning!