Yaqui Drums (1956) User Reviews

A very interesting little western

[searchanddestroy-1 · 2 December 2012]

Today, I have to watch three Jean Yarbrough's movies. This director is a famous grade B film director. Many of his features are hard to catch. This western is pretty interesting. I won't repeat the topic, already told in the plot line. But it begins rather in an unusual way, when we see the "future" villains of the film being attacked by bandits - or may I say the ones you guess the real villains of the film. But it appears that the initial bad guy - the Mexican - is actually the one who will become the lead's friend - Rod Cameron.

And what I like in this film, is that the story focuses on the bad guys - the big rancher and his son's hot relations...

For the rest, it remains in the classic manner.

But I am really fond of this little film. I love unusual schemes in a screenplay.

Cheap, cheap, cheap!

[JohnHowardReid · 4/10 · 26 April 2018]

A William F. Broidy Production.

Copyright 1956 by Allied Artists. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 12 October 1956. U.K. release through Associated British-Pathé: January 1957. Not theatrically released in Australia. 71 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: An American rancher saves the life of a Mexican bandit.

COMMENT: A low-budget western of absolutely no distinction whatever. Mary Castle sings "Frankie and Johnny" in a deep voice, but she is very demurely attired throughout and her personality seems as colorless as Rod Cameron's acting is stiff. I don't know who is worse: the glumly wooden Cameron or the hammily, all-stops-out J. Carroll Naish. At least Denver Pyle contributes his usual reliable study of devious and cowardly villainy.

After a neat introduction, Roy Roberts reverts to the characterization of a stock heavy. The one comparatively bright spot in the acting department turns out to be Robert Hutton, of all people, who manages a rare, unsympathetic study with fair conviction.

Mr Yarbrough's direction appears non-existent. "Routine and uninteresting" seem too bland to describe his participation in this noticeably skimpy on production values effort. Even the photography is consistently flat, whether the set-up is a real location exterior or a studio sound stage.

The few bits of action, unexcitingly and pedestrianly staged, come over with all the impact of a dry dish-rag. It almost goes without saying that they are further handicapped by an excessive amount of talk. It's that sort of western: cheap, cheap, cheap!

Conrad Nagel (Alan O'Connor), Eleanor Hunt (Bobbie Reynolds), Vince Barnett ("Bulb" Callahan), Jack LaRue (Al Perrelli), Claudia Dell (Fay Temple), Henry Strange (Joe Breeze), John Ivan (district commissioner), Vance Carroll (Burke Darrell), Lillian Wessner (nurse), Crane Wilbur (Monty Brace).