The Kansan (1943)

I think this might be my first film to feature Richard Dix in a leading role, and to be fair to him - he is no worse than many other Hollywood B-listers drafted in to fulfil their contract. This one sees him portray sharp shooting “Bonniwell” who fell found of the legendary “James” gang, only to awaken in the tender care of “Eleanor” (Jane Wyatt) in a town where he has just been elected sheriff. That’s all the cunning plan of the expansionist “Barat” (Albert Dekker) who, together with his scheming brother “Jeff” (Victor Jory) is bent on taking over the town at all costs. Things don’t start off too promisingly for the new lawman when he encounters his aptly named old friend “Waggoner” (the instantly recognisable Eugene Pallette) who is facing an enormous $5,000 bill just to drive his cattle over some land. Determined to intervene on his friend’s behalf, “Bonniwell” soon discovers which way his bread is now buttered. Thereafter, the story follows fairly predictable tram lines with hold-ups, murder plots and we even get a carriage chase - though not from the most alert of pursuers. In the end, there’s not really much jeopardy but at least there are a few familial twists that emphasise that when it come to it, blood is thicker than water but banknotes are thicker than both. It’s a quickly paced and energetically scored western that easily passes eighty minutes but that tests nobody - on screen or in front of it.