BORDER FEUD

(director: Ray Taylor; screenwriters: Patricia Harper/novel by Joseph O’Donnell; cinematographer: Milford Anderson; editor: Joe Gluck; cast: Al ‘Lash’ La Rue (Cheyenne Davis), Al ‘Fuzzy’ St. John(Sheriff Fuzzy Q. Jones), Ian Keith (Doc Peters), Brad Slavin (Jim Condon), Gloria Marlen (Carol Condon), Kennett Farrell (Bob Hart), Ed Cassidy (Sheriff Steele), Bob Duncan (Jack Barton), Mike Conrad (Elmore), Casey MacGregor (Jed Young); Runtime: 55; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Jerry Thomas; PRC; 1947-B/W)

“A typical low-budget B Western from the 1940s, reminding one of the prototypical TV westerns of the 1950s.“

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A typical low-budget B Western from the 1940s, reminding one of the prototypical TV westerns of the 1950s. It’s directed by Ray Taylor (“Law of the West”/”Range Justice”) with a mix of cornball humor and action. It’s based on the novel by Joseph O’Donnell and is written by Patricia Harper without distinction. In the Old West, in Red Gulch, Nevada, a gun-feud develops over mining profits by co-owners of the Blue Girl gold mine-Jim Condon (Brad Slavin) and Bob Hart (Kennett Farrell). The owners are being set-up by the unscrupulous saloon owner Barton (Bob Duncan), who wants to take over their mine after he gets rid of both. Barton is backed by a mysterious silent partner, whom the marshal aims to uncover. Sheriff Steele (Ed Cassidy), from Mesa City, receives a note about the feud from the Red Gulch sheriff, Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al ‘Fuzzy’ St. John), asking for help to stop a hired killer named The Tiger, who is to report to Barton. Marshal Cheyenne Davis (Al ‘Lash’ La Rue), the man in black noted for using a whip, volunteers to help Fuzzy, after reading the note and realizing Barton never met The Tiger–thereby poses as The Tiger.

The marshal schemes to stop the feud between the mine owners, smoke out the silent partner behind the scheme, rescue the mine owner’s sister (Gloria Marlen) in distress and leave the town a peaceful place again.

The story drags, the acting is even worse and Lash only uses his whip twice on the baddies. I’d forget this one unless you can’t get your fill of third-rate Westerns.

REVIEWED ON 5/3/2018 GRADE: C+