The Law of 45's

USA 1935
produced by
Arthur Alexander for Normandy Pictures, First Division
directed by John P. McCarthy
starring Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, Molly O'Day, Al St. John, Ted Adams, Lafe McKee, Fred Burns, Curley Baldwin, Martin Garralaga, Broderick O'Farrell, James Sheridan, Glenn Strange, The Singing Wranglers, Budd Buster, Herman Hack, Merrill McCormick
screenplay by Robert Emmett Tansey, based on the story by William Colt MacDonald

Three Mesquiteers

review by
Mike Haberfelner

Old Man Hayden (Lafe McKee) is attacked by outlaws who try to kill him, but two cowboys driving their cattle over the range, Tucson Smith (Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams) and Stoney Martin (Al St.John) interfere and save the old man's life. And when they learn from about some strange goings-on in Hayden's village, they decide to investigate, not at least because Hayden's pretty duaghter Joan (Molly O'Day) has taken an interest in Tucson.

Soon, our heroes learn that a gang of outlaws tries to systematically drive the ranchers of their land by means of terror, and lawyer Rontell (Ted Adams) always seems to be eager to help out and buy their land from them out of mercy - and to a vastly reduced price. And soon it turns out that Rontell is not using his own money to buy the land but - by power of attorney - that of one Mister Sheffield (Broderick O'Farrell), a geologist who has mysteriously disappeared before the whole thing started.

It doesn't take Tucson and Stoney long to figure out that Rontell is behind everything, but he isn't one to easily give up on his crooked deals, and he even sends a Mexican assassin (Martin Garralaga) after them, who is making a getaway though when he sees who he's up against, since Tucson had once saved his life - ultimately though the assassin is shot in the back by Rontell's own gunmen.

Eventually, Stoney is shot in the back by Rontell's gang, and now it's no holding back for Tucson, who makes a one-man attack on Rontell's headquarters, kills all his gunmen, and finally finds Rontell, hiding behind all tied up Sheffield in his cellar ... and to avenge his friend - who hasn't, died mind you - Tucson beats up Rontell until the police arrive.

This first ever movie to be based on a Three Mesquiteers story by William Colt MacDonald stays rather close to its source material, but also takes a few quite profound liberties - like ommitting one Mesquiteer (Lullaby Joslin) from the film entirely while changing the names of the other two around a bit.

That aside, The Law of 45's is an entertaining if not terribly original B-Western, with Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams and Al St.John making a good heroic duo.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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