STAMPEDE (director: Ford Beebe; screenwriters: Robert Watson/story by Peter B. Kyne; cinematographers: William Beckway/George Meehan; editor: William Austin; cast: Charles Starrett (Larry Carson), Finis Barton (Dale Milford), J.P. McGowan (Matt Stevens), Arthur Kerr (Bill Gans), LeStrange Millman (John Milford), James McGrath(Henry Brooks), Reginald Hincks (Sheriff), Ted Mapes (Whitey), Arthur McNeil (Larry’s Brother); Runtime: 56; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Peter B. Kyne/Kenneth J. Bishop; Mill Creek Entertainment; 1936)
“A straight-forward routine land-grabber B-western that’s both entertaining and forgettable.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Filmed through the courtesy of Columbia’s Canadian studios in Victoria B.C. It’s based on a story by Peter B. Kyne and is written by Robert Watson. Director Ford Beebe(“Bomba and the Jungle Girl”/”Wagons West”/”Lord of the Jungle”) keeps it fast paced, as a straight-forward routine land-grabber B-western that’s both entertaining and forgettable.
It’s set at the struggling ranch in Salt Springs, Montana, of John Milford (LeStrange Millman), where he lives with his lively young adult daughter Dale (Finis Barton). John owes the local hotel owner Henry Brooks (James McGrath) money he can’t repay without selling his horses. Problem is any horse buyer never reaches the Milford ranch. We soon learn that neighbor rancher Matt Stevens (J.P. McGowan) wants John’s ranch and has blackmailed the frightened ex-convict Brooks to get John to pay him or Matt will make it public about his prison record. Steven also has John’s foreman Whitey (Ted Mapes) and ranch hand Gans (Arthur Kerr) on his payroll, who he pays to keep away buyers by either intimidation or ambush.
John’s last hope to sell the horses is Carson. Stevens learns of his arrival in town when he checks into the hotel and has his gang shoot him on the trail. Problem is he got the wrong Carson, as his brother Larry (Charles Starrett) soon arrives and tells the hotel man that he’s the cattle buyer Milford expects. After Whitey is severely wounded failing to ambush Larry, and his brother is brought in dead on his buckboard by Gans, the surviving brother goes after the killers and when he succeeds he saves John’s ranch and wins the heart of his daughter.
It’s far from great, but works as a time killer if you’re a fan of the old-fashioned B-westerns.
REVIEWED ON 9/5/2013 GRADE: B-
Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”
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