Code of the Rangers (1938) Poster

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7/10
The Code Word for this Ranger Picture is "Enjoyable!"
glennstenb18 September 2021
As reviewed by MartinHafer in an earlier writing, "Code of the Rangers" sails along with an implausible series of happenstances. However, the picture is appealing and highly enjoyable in spite of the story's incredulous elements. The acting is serious and the characters convey emotions well; many faces are studied for relatively long periods of time, which is fairly unusual for low budget westerns.

The movie has a modern, crisp feel to it and doesn't seem at all to be a stodgy, stagey cheapie. The interaction between several pairs of characters is fun to watch. Furthermore, the stage direction is often excellent with characters' positions planned nicely for the camera. Editing is smooth and the program flows well from scene to scene. This film even has a score, happily unobtrusive and admittedly used to acceptable advantage. Finally, I guess I just happen to like Rex Lease, even when a shiftless, worthless baddie, which he is here. All in all, a pleasant hour spent in the old West with our dear friend Tim McCoy!
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4/10
Wow...Tim McCoy plays a major sap in this one!
planktonrules18 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Even for a B-western, this one is chock full of clichés and poor writing. While I am a huge fan of Tim McCoy's films, I must admit that this isn't a very good one.

The film begins with the audience hearing about a bandit by the name of 'Blackie' Miller (wow...who would have thought a guy with THAT name would have been a villain?!). He's the head of a gang and the Rangers are out looking for him. McCoy is, of course, a Ranger...and so is his no-account brother. Despite ample evidence that the younger guy is bad, McCoy sticks his neck out to protect him again and again--even when he learns he's a member of Blackie's gang!! Later, when the brother is caught by Tim with the stolen loot, Tim claims HE stole it to keep the jerk brother from going to prison!! This made no sense and took this whole 'brother's keeper' thing a bit too far! Of course, later, Tim gets out of prison and catches the baddies. As for his brother, in one of the oldest clichés in films, he is redeemed when he tries to help Tim--and is shot by his own gang members in the process! Finally, when Tim meets up with Blackie, Tim throws down his guns so they can duke it out. Any sane person would have just shot Blackie and claimed the reward!! But, as you see in this flick, McCoy's character might not be in his right mind!! Pretty weak all around, but enjoyable.
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