This RKO western was the last in O'Briens western career with the exception of a couple of films for John Ford and an outing with the Three Stooges.It is a very formulaic B western.The sort that starts with a bank robbery and a couple of murders in the first reel to make sure that the audience was well and truly hooked.There are a couple of songs from a sister act which seemed to be compulsory for westerns of this period.George O'Brien seems to be a fairly laid back character at times softly smiling and obviously,at least mentally,one step ahead of the villains.So altogether it passes a reasonably entertaining hour.So if you see it in the schedules it is worth giving it a view.
4 Reviews
End of the Trail for Peggy Shannon
kidboots25 October 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Beautiful Peggy Shannon was a Ziegfeld showgirl who had started her film career with so much promise. She was bought to Paramount as an insurance in case Clara Bow had a relapse of her health problems and on her first day in Hollywood was given the lead role in "The Secret Call" when Clara collapsed on the set. She was praised for her performance but Peggy had problems as well and by 1932 she was at Fox and her career was on a downward spiral. Despite her alcohol problems she always looked beautiful, even though she was often reduced to bit parts and "barely seens" (a blink or you'll miss her role as an inmate in "Girls on Probation"(1938)). She finally found herself in a Western - that genre of last chance for actresses battling demons (Louise Brooks etc).
At 40 George O'Brien was still trim and handsome and it is surprising that "Triple Justice" marked the end of his most productive period. He played Brad Henderson, who, while on his way to his best friend's wedding, runs across a group of suspicious looking cowboys who also claim to be of the wedding party. That's just a line - they are really planning to rob the local bank but Brad gums up the works by popping into the bank beforehand and witnessing the robbery and murder. Of course in true Western tradition nobody buys his story that he was chasing the bad guys and the only person who can vouch for his identity is his pal Frank Wiley, who has been shot and is not expected to live. So it is up to Brad to escape from prison (with the help of a carved gun) and trace the bandits to try and retrieve the money.
As each robber meets a sticky end Brad is on hand to collect their share of the robbery and send it back to the sheriff. But in reality the sheriff is the mastermind and as he receives each parcel he pockets the cash so Brad's name is still not in the clear. Peggy Shannon has the thankless role of the bride, she doesn't have much to do but considering she was dead within the year she may not have been up to much more.
The second half slows down a trifle with Virginia Vale, a sort of singing cowgirl, taking time out to strum a guitar and sing the plaintive "Lonely Rio" - she is the robber's sister but Brad soon convinces her that he is on the level. The climax takes place in Mexico where yet another musical interlude takes place, this time a female singing trio, The Lindeman Sisters, who sing a couple of traditional Mexican folk tunes. After a shoot-em -up Frank miraculously turns up well and healthy to participate in a double wedding at the fade out.
At 40 George O'Brien was still trim and handsome and it is surprising that "Triple Justice" marked the end of his most productive period. He played Brad Henderson, who, while on his way to his best friend's wedding, runs across a group of suspicious looking cowboys who also claim to be of the wedding party. That's just a line - they are really planning to rob the local bank but Brad gums up the works by popping into the bank beforehand and witnessing the robbery and murder. Of course in true Western tradition nobody buys his story that he was chasing the bad guys and the only person who can vouch for his identity is his pal Frank Wiley, who has been shot and is not expected to live. So it is up to Brad to escape from prison (with the help of a carved gun) and trace the bandits to try and retrieve the money.
As each robber meets a sticky end Brad is on hand to collect their share of the robbery and send it back to the sheriff. But in reality the sheriff is the mastermind and as he receives each parcel he pockets the cash so Brad's name is still not in the clear. Peggy Shannon has the thankless role of the bride, she doesn't have much to do but considering she was dead within the year she may not have been up to much more.
The second half slows down a trifle with Virginia Vale, a sort of singing cowgirl, taking time out to strum a guitar and sing the plaintive "Lonely Rio" - she is the robber's sister but Brad soon convinces her that he is on the level. The climax takes place in Mexico where yet another musical interlude takes place, this time a female singing trio, The Lindeman Sisters, who sing a couple of traditional Mexican folk tunes. After a shoot-em -up Frank miraculously turns up well and healthy to participate in a double wedding at the fade out.
So-So End to an Intereating "B" Series!
bsmith555221 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"Triple Justice" was the final entry in George O'Brien's RKO series which ran I believe, for seventeen films.
In this one, O'Brien plays Brad Henderson who is on his way to a friend's wedding in Star City . Sheriff Bill Gregory (Leroy Mason) and Henderson were boy hood pals. Outside of town Brad meets three shady characters, Frank Wiley (Glenn Strange), Fred Cleary (Paul Fix) and Tom Payson (Malcolm McTaggart). They claim to also being headed for the wedding so Brad rides into town with them.
In town, Brad goes to the local bank and while washing up in the back, the trio robs the bank killing the teller (Gaylord "Steve" Pendleton) . Payson holding the wedding party at bay, shoots Sheriff Gregory severely wounding him while Deputy Al Reaves (Harry Woods) looks on. As the bandits escape, Brad pursues them and the townsfolk think that he is part of the gang.
When Reaves and a posse catches up to Brad, he is arrested and taken to jail. He manages to escape and begins his tracking down of the gang. He chases Cleary across the desert until Cleary collapses and dies. Brad recovers Cleary's share of the loot and goes to Tule Mesa and via a nosy telegraph operator (Robert McKenzie), sends the money back to Gregory's office. But since Harry Woods is playing the Deputy Sheriff, we know that he is the brains behind the robbery.
Next, Brad goes after Payson whom he finds in a poker game. Payson flees and Brad in pursuit, chases him over a cliff to his death. He recovers Payson's share and mails it back to Gregory. Now this is where the story gets a little ridiculous. It seems that Payson had a comely young sister Lorna (Virginia Vale). She finds Brad hiding in her barn after fleeing there from Reaves' posse.
Lorna, who doesn't know that Brad IS NOT a murderer, befriends him and has him do her chores around the farm. Reaves arrives at the Payson farm and Brad flees. Reaves convinces Lorna that Brad is guilty and she joins his posse.
Brad goes to the Mexican home of Don Solas (Jean Del Val) in search of Wiley. There he is serenaded by Don Solas three daughters (The Lindman Sisters). At the fiesta that night, Brad encounters Wiley who escapes to his cabin. There, Brad catches up to him and forces a confession from him. Meanwhile back at the jail, Gregory has recovered and learns of Reaves' treachery and forms a posse.
Just as he is bringing in Wiley to Don Solas, Reaves arrives with his posse. A confrontation ensues and..................................................................
George gets to marry the heroine once again, generally a no-no for "B" western heroes. The story was quite good up to the point that he meets the heroine. Then it gets a little mushy.
Also in the cast are Peggy Shannon as the bride to be, Wilfred Lucas as the Tule Mesa Constable, Lloyd Ingraham as the bride's father and Hank Worden as the townsman outside the saloon.
George O'Brien had been in pictures since the early twenties. This was his last movie before getting involved with John Ford in WWII. He would only appear in a few more films finishing up with John Ford's" Cheyenne Autumn" in 1965.
In this one, O'Brien plays Brad Henderson who is on his way to a friend's wedding in Star City . Sheriff Bill Gregory (Leroy Mason) and Henderson were boy hood pals. Outside of town Brad meets three shady characters, Frank Wiley (Glenn Strange), Fred Cleary (Paul Fix) and Tom Payson (Malcolm McTaggart). They claim to also being headed for the wedding so Brad rides into town with them.
In town, Brad goes to the local bank and while washing up in the back, the trio robs the bank killing the teller (Gaylord "Steve" Pendleton) . Payson holding the wedding party at bay, shoots Sheriff Gregory severely wounding him while Deputy Al Reaves (Harry Woods) looks on. As the bandits escape, Brad pursues them and the townsfolk think that he is part of the gang.
When Reaves and a posse catches up to Brad, he is arrested and taken to jail. He manages to escape and begins his tracking down of the gang. He chases Cleary across the desert until Cleary collapses and dies. Brad recovers Cleary's share of the loot and goes to Tule Mesa and via a nosy telegraph operator (Robert McKenzie), sends the money back to Gregory's office. But since Harry Woods is playing the Deputy Sheriff, we know that he is the brains behind the robbery.
Next, Brad goes after Payson whom he finds in a poker game. Payson flees and Brad in pursuit, chases him over a cliff to his death. He recovers Payson's share and mails it back to Gregory. Now this is where the story gets a little ridiculous. It seems that Payson had a comely young sister Lorna (Virginia Vale). She finds Brad hiding in her barn after fleeing there from Reaves' posse.
Lorna, who doesn't know that Brad IS NOT a murderer, befriends him and has him do her chores around the farm. Reaves arrives at the Payson farm and Brad flees. Reaves convinces Lorna that Brad is guilty and she joins his posse.
Brad goes to the Mexican home of Don Solas (Jean Del Val) in search of Wiley. There he is serenaded by Don Solas three daughters (The Lindman Sisters). At the fiesta that night, Brad encounters Wiley who escapes to his cabin. There, Brad catches up to him and forces a confession from him. Meanwhile back at the jail, Gregory has recovered and learns of Reaves' treachery and forms a posse.
Just as he is bringing in Wiley to Don Solas, Reaves arrives with his posse. A confrontation ensues and..................................................................
George gets to marry the heroine once again, generally a no-no for "B" western heroes. The story was quite good up to the point that he meets the heroine. Then it gets a little mushy.
Also in the cast are Peggy Shannon as the bride to be, Wilfred Lucas as the Tule Mesa Constable, Lloyd Ingraham as the bride's father and Hank Worden as the townsman outside the saloon.
George O'Brien had been in pictures since the early twenties. This was his last movie before getting involved with John Ford in WWII. He would only appear in a few more films finishing up with John Ford's" Cheyenne Autumn" in 1965.
A good script with plenty of action!
JohnHowardReid29 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Ace director David Howard was unknowingly nearing the end of his career when he made this western at RKO, the last of the George O'Brien series. Howard made only two westerns with Tim Holt in 1941 before he died in December. This one has a good script with plenty of action, though in many ways it's a typical O'Brien western with the laid- back lead determined to prove his innocence but going about it in a more leisurely, even humorous style than western heroes normally employed. When our hero is determined to do something, he follows it through to the end, but rarely losing his sense of humor and taking time out to cultivate some female friendships on the way. In this one, he has no fewer than five beauties to support him, and they are played by Virginia Vale and Peggy Shannon, plus the three strikingly beautiful Lindeman Sisters in their only movie appearance. Vale had formerly co-starred with O'Brien in The Marshal of Mesa City (1939), Prairie Law (1940), Legion of the Lawless (1940), and Stage to Chino (1940). Alas, she finally ended up at PRC with a minor role in Crime, Inc. in 1945. Triple Justice is available on an excellent Warner Archive DVD coupled with The Marshal of Mesa City and Legion of the Lawless.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
