West of the Brazos (1950) User Reviews

B-western sidekicks take the lead !

[ca-corbett · 6/10 · 28 April 2008]

This is a fun, engaging western film from the heyday of the western programmer. Former Hopalong Cassidy sidekicks James Ellison and Russell Hayden star in this sagebrush tale of switched identities. Along the way court battles and gun play plague the stalwart heroes.

Ellison and Hayden are fine in the lead roles, although they always seemed more at ease in supporting roles. Raymond Hatton, the prolific cowboy character actor, is outstanding in a fun supporting performance. Hatton was equally capable of both drama and comedy, a rare trait in most western sidekicks.

These sort of films were designed to fill the bill at the Saturday matinées of the era. As such, this one was fun but not very innovative.

Will the real Shamrock stand up

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 20 August 2013]

Another Bob Steele western called Alias John Law was the inspiration for this James Ellison/Russell Hayden stock company western for Lippert. This one has Jimmy the Shamrock going to visit his old mother on the ranch. Only she's died and a notorious outlaw played by stock company member John Cason is impersonating Ellison.

It's a scrub ranch by all appearances but Jim's a budding JR Ewing because oil's been discovered there and Cason is pulling a swindle. A little out of his ordinary line of work like bank robbery or cattle rustling, but it's a good con if he can get away with it.

Some humor is gotten out of the fact that Hayden has to play hard of hearing due to the late war which left him that way because he was too close to the artillery. Still it's a subpar western when compared to the same level product that Republic was putting out.