West of the Divide

A sub-par Lone Star western from a young John Wayne
"West of the Divide" (1934) was the fourth of the poverty row Westerns than John Wayne made for Lone Star. Wayne plays Ted Hayden, who returns home after a long absence to try and find out who killed his father. Pretending to be an outlaw named Gat Ganns, our hero joins the gang of Mr. Gentry (Lloyd Whitlock), who, of course, turns out to be the dirty scoundrel who gunned down Hayden's pa. Gentry now has his eye on the farm of pretty Fay Winters (Virginia Faire Brown), so there is more than vengeance at play here for Mason.

In addition to the young Wayne you have George Hays as Dusty Rhodes, who does not yet have the beard we all remember from his days as "Gabby" Hayes, is getting to his famous on screen persona just like the Duke. The action in this one consists mostly of fist fights and does not feature any really great stunts by the legendary Yakima Canutt, who plays Gentry's henchman Hank and who usually provides the best thrills in these oaters...

Family Business
West of the Divide, 1933 film

Two prospectors are camping out and remembering the past. One survived a shooting twelve years ago. His younger brother disappeared at the time. He and Dusty see a man suffering from poisoned water. [Some pools have a high level of arsenic from minerals.] A letter contains information on a wanted murderer. What is Gentry up to? He wants to buy a ranch that has good water. This area is still wild, rustlers abound. Mr. Winters won't sell the land, but do sell cattle. Gentry talks to his boys, he tells them about the money that will go to the bank tomorrow. "Don't harm the girl." Miss Winters rides to town unarmed. Two men follow. Can they catch her? Two men fight, one shoots his pistol. Miss Winters is wounded by a stray shot! Those first two men bring her to town to see the doctor, this saves her life.

The doctor called Mr. Winters to tell about his daughter. [$3,000 was a lot of money in those days.] "Gat Ganns" meets Gentry, the...

Family Business
West of the Divide, 1933 film

Two prospectors are camping out and remembering the past. One survived a shooting twelve years ago. His younger brother disappeared at the time. He and Dusty see a man suffering from poisoned water. [Some pools have a high level of arsenic from minerals.] A letter contains information on a wanted murderer. What is Gentry up to? He wants to buy a ranch that has good water. This area is still wild, rustlers abound. Mr. Winters won't sell the land, but do sell cattle. Gentry talks to his boys, he tells them about the money that will go to the bank tomorrow. "Don't harm the girl." Miss Winters rides to town unarmed. Two men follow. Can they catch her? Two men fight, one shoots his pistol. Miss Winters is wounded by a stray shot! Those first two men bring her to town to see the doctor, this saves her life.

The doctor called Mr. Winters to tell about his daughter. [$3,000 was a lot of money in those days.] "Gat Ganns" meets Gentry, the...

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