Brand of Fear (1949) Poster

(1949)

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6/10
Blackmailing the sheriff
bkoganbing16 July 2011
In Brand Of Fear Tom London is the local sheriff and he's a pretty tough hombre. But he's got a secret he's trying to keep from Gail Davis the new schoolteacher arrived in town. Years ago he was a notorious outlaw, still wanted in Texas for killing a lawman. When a couple of former associates come to town, the story stays secret for a while as they're both killed in a blazing gun battle.

But before he dies one of them tells the blacksmith Marshall Reed about London. Reed's an outlaw too, the blacksmith shop is a cover. But up till now he made very sure about not operating anywhere in London's jurisdiction. Now with some information on the local law, Reed feels he can operate with impunity.

Of course he does not reckon with cowboy hero Jimmy Wakely who sings a few songs and along with sidekick Dub Taylor generally rights all the wrongs before the film is over.

Tom London was a character actor who usually played sheriffs in a ton of B westerns. But in Brand Of Fear he gets to put a little dimension into what are usually stereotypical parts. Although Wakely and his singing were what was drawing the Saturday matinée crowd in, the film in many ways really belongs to London.

This was done for Monogram Pictures and does not even have the production values that Republic cowboys enjoyed. But the story is a good one and fans of B westerns will like it.
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6/10
another average western...
ksf-220 December 2022
Jimmy wakely is... jimmy wakely, as he was in so many of his films. The singing cowboy, in gene autry, roy rogers fashion. A fun version of rainbow over range, with some good guitar work, near the beginning. When anne, the new school teacher arrives, the town bullies act up. Before the bad guy croaks, he spins a yarn about marshal flint being wanted for murder. And that the new school marm is actually flint's daughter. That part is true, but nobody knows that. The teacher is played by gail davis; she was annie oakley, in ... the annie oakley show. And had worked extensively with gene autry. She only has a couple lines in this one. So the crooks rob a bank, and try to blackmail the marshal into helping them, but with the bad guys numbers thinning quickly, how far can they get? It's a very typical western. Nothing really new to see here. Directed by oliver drake. A shortie from monogram, at 56 minutes.
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3/10
Strictly for Jimmy Wakely fans!
JohnHowardReid17 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Cast: Jimmy Wakely, Dub "Cannonball" Taylor, Gail Davis, Tom London, Marshall Reed, William H. Ruhl, William Norton Bailey, Boyd Stockman, Joe Galbreath, Dee Cooper, Frank McCarroll, Holly Bane, Myron Healey, Bill Potter, Bob Woodward, Bob Curtis, Ray Whitley, Don Weston, Denver Dixon, Ray Jones.

Behind the camera: Director: OLIVER DRAKE. Screenplay: Basil Dickey. Film editor: Carl Pierson. Settings: Vin Taylor. Music director: Edward J. Kay. Set continuity: Helen McCafferty. Assistant director: Eddie Davis. Sound recording: John Kean. Producer: Louis Gray.

Copyright 10 July 1949 by Monogram Pictures Corp. U.S. release: 10 July 1949. No New York opening. No U.K. or Australian theatrical release. 56 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: Wakely and sidekick, "Cannonball", come to the aid of a sheriff who is being blackmailed by a gang of outlaws.

COMMENT: Puerile western, directed with a total lack of distinction, and poorly photographed to boot. So far as the fans are concerned, there is very little action — and what scant material the script offers is very limply staged with Wakely and company shooting off cap pistols and flurrying briefly in some weak-as-water fist fights.

Fortunately, Wakely presents a couple of pleasant songs which save the picture from a zero rating. Oddly, however, the incidental score is a remarkably uninspired hasty-tasty affair from a musician of Edward Kay's usually competent caliber.
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