THE WESTERN CODE

(director: J.R. McCarthy; screenwriters: Milton Krims/story by William Colt MacDonald; cinematographer: Ben Kline; editor: Otto Meyer; cast: Tim McCoy (Tim Barrett), Nora Lane (Polly Loomis), Dwight Frye (Dick Loomis), Gordon Demaine (Sheriff Purdy), Wheeler Oakman (Nick Grindle), Mischa Auer (Chapman), Mathew Betz (Warden), Emilio Fernandez (Indian Joe), Bud Osborne (Miller); Runtime: 60; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Sam Briskin; Columbia Pictures; 1932)

“Routine old-fashioned western, now outdated.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Routine old-fashioned western, now outdated. It’s adequately directed by J.R. McCarthy(“Raiders of the Border”/”Oklahoma Cyclone”/”Sunrise Trail”). It’s based on the story by William Colt MacDonald, and is written by Milton Krims.

Legendary Texas Ranger Tim Barrett (Tim McCoy) arrives in Carabinas, Texas to work on a forgery case started by fellow Ranger Frank Newport. He was killed by the bad guys. In town, Tim saves Polly Loomis (Nora Lane) from being sexually harassed in the town’s bar. Tim also kills one of the bad guys (Bud Osborne) who tries to shoot him from the bar’s balcony. Sheriff Purdy (Gordon Demaine) explains to Tim that the crooked saloon owner, Nick Grindle (Wheeler Oakman), was foreman on Polly’s mother ranch and married her. When she suddenly died, she willed everything to Grindle, leaving Polly and her hot-headed brother Dick (Dwight Frye) without the ranch or any funds.It soon becomes evident that Grindle forged his wife’s signature and hired the forger Chapman (Mischa Auer) and his partner Warden (Mathew Betz) to commit the crime. When Grindle is found dead, Warden organizes a lynching party, but is stopped by Tim. Things end well, as Tim proves Warden killed Grindle and Chapman forged the will. When they try to bring down Tim, he kills both. The siblings retrieve their family ranch and Polly flirts with Tim.

REVIEWED ON 2/11/2016 GRADE: B-