RED BLOOD OF COURAGE

(director: John English; screenwriters: Barry Barringer/story by James Oliver Curwood; cinematographer: Arthur Reed; editor: Richard G. Wray; cast: Kermit Maynard (Jim Sullivan), Ann Sheridan (Elizabeth Henry), Reginald Barlow (Mark Henry/Pete Drago), Ben Hendricks Jr. (Bart Slager), Nat Carr (Dr. Meyer), Geo. Regas (Frenchy); Runtime: 46; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Sig Neufeld/Maurice H. Conn; Mill Creek Entertainment; 1935)

“Its only redeeming feature is that it stars a young Ann Sheridan, before she became a star.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

John English(“Whirlwind”/”The Hills of Utah”/”Cow Town”) directs this routine B-Western from Ambassador Films, that’s set in Canada and involves the Royal Mounties solving a kidnapping case. The story is by James Oliver Curwood and it’s written by Barry Barringer. Its only redeeming feature is that it stars a young Ann Sheridan, before she became a star.

When Mark Henry (Reginald Barlow) discovers oil on his rustic Canadian property, he’s kidnapped and replaced by his look-alike oil driller Pete Drago (Reginald Barlow). The masquerade works and he has his niece Beth (Ann Sheridan) visit. Meanwhile RCMP officer Jim Sullivan (Kermit Maynard) is in the territory posing as a wanted drifter, as he’s searching for the killer of his friend Buck Taylor. When the phony uncle tries to force Beth to marry the boorish thug Bart Slager (Ben Hendricks Jr.), she flees and is rescued by Jim. When Slager is tired of listening to the phony uncle’s orders he shoots him and takes over the gang. In the end, the kidnapped real uncle comes to the rescue of Jim and the Mounties show up to arrest the gang.

REVIEWED ON 8/24/2013 GRADE: B-