In the 1930s and 40s, Hollywood made about 16,290,383 cheap cowboy pictures. Because of this, there is no way anyone could ever see them all! Most are pretty forgettable, though a few manage to be a bit better--and "Wildfire" is one of these. One thing that sets this Bob Steele film apart from most is that it's filmed in Cinecolor--something very unusual considering it comes from tiny Action Pictures. Most films, including those of larger studios, were still coming out in black & white.
When the film begins, two guys have shot a wild horse and are about to kill it once and for all. It seems the locals have been blaming this horse for leading their horses out of the corrals--though it's really the work of rustlers. Happy (Bob Steele) comes upon them and stops them from dispatching the animal. And, with patience and love, he and his friend Alkalai (Sterling Holloway) manage to rehab the horse.
In the meantime, the local baddie (John Miljan) and his gang have been stealing horses right and left--but proving it is another thing. The only one in this crappy town who seems to want to do anything about this is the Sheriff--and soon he deputizes Happy to help him get to the bottom of things. However, the trouble ends up being much deeper--and it turns out that the judge and much of the town is involved. Can Happy, Alkalai and the Sheriff manage to solve the crimes and escape with their lives? While the baddie and his gang is a very standard plot for these films, a few things stand out for the better. The fight scenes are well done and Steele always managed to make it look real. The color is very nice. And, it's nice to see that in this case the sidekick is NOT a dumb boob thrown in for comic relief--Holloway shoots some of the gang and saves his friend's life as well. Overall, entertaining and a film that rises above the norm for this often dull genre.
When the film begins, two guys have shot a wild horse and are about to kill it once and for all. It seems the locals have been blaming this horse for leading their horses out of the corrals--though it's really the work of rustlers. Happy (Bob Steele) comes upon them and stops them from dispatching the animal. And, with patience and love, he and his friend Alkalai (Sterling Holloway) manage to rehab the horse.
In the meantime, the local baddie (John Miljan) and his gang have been stealing horses right and left--but proving it is another thing. The only one in this crappy town who seems to want to do anything about this is the Sheriff--and soon he deputizes Happy to help him get to the bottom of things. However, the trouble ends up being much deeper--and it turns out that the judge and much of the town is involved. Can Happy, Alkalai and the Sheriff manage to solve the crimes and escape with their lives? While the baddie and his gang is a very standard plot for these films, a few things stand out for the better. The fight scenes are well done and Steele always managed to make it look real. The color is very nice. And, it's nice to see that in this case the sidekick is NOT a dumb boob thrown in for comic relief--Holloway shoots some of the gang and saves his friend's life as well. Overall, entertaining and a film that rises above the norm for this often dull genre.