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If you have the slightest interest in the phenomenon called Rudolph Valentino, this terrific disc is absolutely the place to start. The screen's great male sex god of the 1920s had a mammoth success with The Sheik, a slice of desert romance both exciting and completely absurd. Valentino plays a dashing "sheik of Araby" who rather forcefully romances an adventure-minded English lady (Agnes Ayres); if the story creaks with Victorian storytelling conventions, it also works. Five years later Valentino returned to the sands with his final film, The Son of the Sheik, playing both his original role and the sheik's impetuous boy. More madness here, and a wild saber duel on horseback at night reminds us they don't make movies like this any more. Valentino's faux-exotic allure may seem curious to modern viewers, but squint hard and you can imagine the frenzy caused by the sultry eyes and rapacious grin. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (12)

I LOVE Valentino! Sheik lover here!
I've always been "in love" with the "older" male movie stars, those who are no longer around. I am twenty-seven years old but I love such actors as Tyrone Powers, Clark Gable, Laurence Olivier, to name a few.Now added to my favorite men is Rudolph Valentino! I've heard of him and how he was a sex symbol of his time, the silent film era. Curious, I bought this DVD, "The Sheik/The Son of the Sheik" At first I thought the story corny, and the music was more like elevator music. I really thought I couldn't go through with a silent film. Then...BOOM! I see Rudolph Valentino, his eyes, his face....I got shivers watching him. I didn't need to hear his voice, although I wish I could! He is sooooo sexy and soooo...I don't know what to call it, I guess he's just got "IT"! Sex appeal?
The rest of the characters were all a blur to me. Valentino's looks and expressions did not need words! His eyes "speak". Those bedroom eyes!
In both movies, he is your typical alpha male. He kind of reminded me of Yul Brynner (who by the way, is another babe!)in "The King of Siam".
As for the quality of the movie, I'd say it's pretty darn good! I think they did a good job for an "old" movie. It's not how a movie looks "now" to us, but just keep in mind that it's a 1921 movie.

here's your chance to see what all the fuss was about
Rudolph Valentino made only five films, but he was idolized by millions of women the world over. Here in a fun double-bill, are The Shiek, which made him a household word, and his last film The Son of the Sheik. Each revolves around a romance between a beautiful young girl and Valentino's sultry man of the desert. There are lovely shots of horses running across the sands, delicious eyebrow raises from the sheik, and such memorable reader cards as: "The night was young at the Cafe Maure. Not a knife had been thrown---so far."

The prints are very nice, though The Sheik is heavily tinted and runs 86 minutes instead of the 80 minutes it should. The music tracks are alright, using a small orchestra, with an alternative updated track available for the second film; I was disappointed because I had seen The Sheik on television several years ago and the accompanying synthesizer track was remarkably beautiful -- but that is not on this disc.

Three shorts are included: "Rudolph Valentino and His 88 American Beauties", in which the star judges a beauty contest (1923, 13 minutes); "The Sheik's Physique", in which the star takes a nap in his swimsuit (not dated, 3 minutes); and the Pathe News coverage of Valentino's funeral (1926, 4 minutes).

If you are interested in silent films or in Valentino, this is a terrific package.

Rating the movie-NOT THE DVD QUALITY
I am so glad that I bought this movie on the basis of reading other reviews. To watch Valentino for the first time is quite impressive. Most people would not think of watching a silent movie and I was one of them until now. With his facial expressions, he does not need to talk. Since viewing this, I have ordered all the rest of them, Do yourself a favor and watch at least the son of the sheik which is the better of the two. And now on to the DVD Quality. It stinks. I don't know where everyone says it a great transfer. A great transfer would look like the latest Criterion --Beauty and the Beast. Anyone with a big screen digital tv watching this will think any reviewer that says the dvd quality is good has a screw loose. It needs to be restored one frame at a time. But that would require a company willing to spend a lot of money and a long time to do. We can only hope---------

No One Does It Better
There is absolutely no one past or present who does to women on screen what Rudolph Valentino does. He is the ultimate lover. Just watch his hands. Gentlemen of today! Take lessons! This DVD is a very high quality restoration with a beautiful musical score. Although the charismatic Valentino dominates every scene in which he appears, I also enjoyed performances by Agnes Ayres and the beautiful Vilma Banky (She was called the Hungarian Rhapsody for good reason!). Beautiful costumes and sets make for magical viewing of times gone by.

Ahmed, I love you!!
My goodness - How I wish I'd been around in 1920's Hollywood!! - This is a wonderful look back at Rudolph Valentino's two Sheik movies (the second in which he plays his former self, as well as his own son - check out the funny splicing effects!!) - as well as extras of his 88 beauties pageant tour, "The Sheiks Physique" (Rowr!!), and sadly, an account of his funeral. It's been 80 years, and still there is as yet no one who has risen to the ranks of Rudolph Valentino. He is as unique today as he was in the 1920's - and equally alluring. This is a must-have DVD for silent film fans, Valentino fans, and anyone interested in seeing beauty personified!! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The best of Bela Lugoi's Poverty Row films for Monogram
Actually "The Invisible Ghost" does refer to a character in this 1941 film, but then the only thing that matters is Bela Lugosi's name on the title card. Lugosi plays Charles Kessler, who we meet having dinner with his wife on their wedding anniversary; the only problem is that according to daughter Virginia (Polly Ann Young), her mother was killed in a car accident several years earlier as she was about to run off with her husband's best friend. But Kessler still worships his wife and on their anniversary he convinces himself he is having dinner with his beloved. Sounds plausible enough, but the truth is that Mrs. Kessler (Betty Compson) survived the auto accident and is being kept in the gardener's shed by the caretaker, Jules (Ernie Adams), who keeps assuring the poor woman that she will be taken to her husband and daughter "soon." Meanwhile, there have been a series of strange murders in the neighborhood and when the maid is struck down the suspicion falls on Virginia's beau (John McGuire). But, of course, that is not close enough to home to really ruin the rest of Virginia's life and sooner or later the local cops will figure out the truth of what is going on here.

"The Invisible Ghost" is the best of the nine Poverty Row productions Lugosi made for Monogram after his fall from grace at Universal Studios. The problems in the script (you can usually find the body in a car crash for starters) are compensated for by the work of director Joe Lewis, who shows a lot of cinematic flair for a B-film director making a quickie (e.g., filming the fireplace during the exposition). This film is rather face paced and gets a lot in for only 64-minutes. The other advantage it has is that Lugosi's performance is better than the plot; I mean, come on, you know who the murderer is before the movie begins, and it is just a question of waiting for all the pieces to be forced into place by the time the film ends. This is not a suspense film, but more one about atmosphere and mood. The insane wife, befuddled daughter and falsely accused beau are all above average performances as well; if you were just listening to them you would not know this was a low-budget horror film. There are times when I think this is Lugosi's best performance, but I am probably more comfortable claiming it is one in which he plays his most sympathetic character. But if you do not have a strong stomach for stupid plots, then you would want to pass this one bye.

Bela Lugosi's best poverty row film for Monogram
Actually "The Invisible Ghost" does refer to a character in this 1941 film, but then the only thing that matters is Bela Lugosi's name on the title card. Lugosi plays Charles Kessler, who we meet having dinner with his wife on their wedding anniversary; the only problem is that according to daughter Virginia (Polly Ann Young), her mother was killed in a car accident several years earlier as she was about to run off with her husband's best friend. But Kessler still worships his wife and on their anniversary he convinces himself he is having dinner with his beloved. Sounds plausible enough, but the truth is that Mrs. Kessler (Betty Compson) survived the auto accident and is being kept in the gardener's shed by the caretaker, Jules (Ernie Adams), who keeps assuring the poor woman that she will be taken to her husband and daughter "soon." Meanwhile, there have been a series of strange murders in the neighborhood and when the maid is struck down the suspicion falls on Virginia's beau (John McGuire). But, of course, that is not close enough to home to really ruin the rest of Virginia's life and sooner or later the local cops will figure out the truth of what is going on here.

"The Invisible Ghost" is the best of the nine Poverty Row productions Lugosi made for Monogram after his fall from grace at Universal Studios. The problems in the script (you can usually find the body in a car crash for starters) are compensated for by the work of director Joe Lewis, who shows a lot of cinematic flair for a B-film director making a quickie (e.g., filming the fireplace during the exposition). This film is rather face paced and gets a lot in for only 64-minutes. The other advantage it has is that Lugosi's performance is better than the plot; I mean, come on, you know who the murderer is before the movie begins, and it is just a question of waiting for all the pieces to be forced into place by the time the film ends. This is not a suspense film, but more one about atmosphere and mood. The insane wife, befuddled daughter and falsely accused beau are all above average performances as well; if you were just listening to them you would not know this was a low-budget horror film. There are times when I think this is Lugosi's best performance, but I am probably more comfortable claiming it is one in which he plays his most sympathetic character. But if you do not have a strong stomach for stupid plots, then you would want to pass this one bye.

INVISIBLE GHOST
Although not technically or artistically superior, Invisible Ghost is a winner for Lugosi fans. He plays Charles Kessler, who employs a butler, a maid, a cook and a gardener. There is a series of murders which cannot be solved. Controlled by his estranged wife, who is in a lost world herself (hidden below a storage room by the gardener), Kessler commits the murders in a trance with no memory of them in his normal state. Lugosi is very pleasant and unknowing of what is happening to him/others. This film is very satisfying to Lugosi fans but may be boring to general classic horror fans. [Favorite scene: Lugosi's talk with his new cook]

A peculiarity from Poverty Row.
The oddities of this Monogram semi-horror film begin with the title! The "ghost" in question is NOT invisible, and is not really a ghost. Also, the shadow of an ape appears on the main title card. (Don't ask me, I'm only the reviewer.) The various plot twists contain no supernatural or science fiction elements, and yet are even less plausible than those of other Monogram horrors. The director, Joseph Lewis, displays almost none of the talent he showed in his later films. Only the presence of Bela Lugosi makes this one worthwhile. The role of "Dr. Kessler" is a Jekyll/Hyde character, so Lugosi is playing a normal, likeable guy during most of his screen time, which makes this one of his more unusual roles. Also, Clarence Muse is good as the butler.

Surreal, bizarre Monogram masterpiece...
The title almost gives it away. "The Invisible Ghost." What other kind of ghost IS there? While there are some genuinely creepy moments in this black and white thriller, the plot is so hare-brained you'll need multiple viewings just to absorb the details. Let's see; Bela Lugosi believes his wife died in a car accident, but his gardener (!) actually has her stowed in the back barn. When wifey staggers out in the rain and "haunts" Lugosi, he falls into a trance and murders whoever's handy, then "wakes up" remembering nothing. Throw in a cigar chomping (and utterly ineffectual) police detective, the poor fellow who's unjustly convicted of the murders and sent to the electric chair (!), the casual way Lugosi and friends react to multiple homicides, and a psycho-therapist who suggests Lugosi's murderous trance is, in fact, a fairly common psychiatric disorder, and you've got one of the more whacked movies in cinema history. I loved it! ... Read more

Description

It's a laughfest from start to finish as an elusive, rich bachelor wiggles off the hook on his wedding day for the umpteenth time by begging insanity, but his strong-willed bride calls his bluff and has him committed to the loony bin! He manages to escape with another inmate and joins a traveling carnival, only to fall in love with the leggy owner and get involved in one slapstick mishap after another! From producer/director Hal Roach (Topper) and featuring songs by Hoagy Carmichael ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Great John Wayne Double Feature !!!!
John Wayne has been one of Hollywood's greatest american icons for the past nine decades and even after his death in 1979,his legacy of films and memorable characters live on !!! Madacy's "Hollywood Classics" DVD showcases two of his early shoot-em ups.First,the Duke's 1934 B-Western THE MAN FROM UTAH,which is the main spotlight feature of the DVD,features Wayne as a sheriff who ends up with some vicious cowboys who kills some of his rodeo competors and to track them down,justice style.OK early effort by Wayne,but not one of the Duke's best works until his later years.The second film featured on this disc is considered by many fans and critics as one of Wayne's best films of the '40's,the 1947 film ANGEL & THE BADMAN in which he rescues a quaker girl from tough hoodlums.These two films are well-worth checking out,however,like many of Madacy's DVD's,there are a few complications.First off,THE MAN FROM UTAH's print quality is average 1930's,but the source used here on the DVD looks as if it was copied from VHS,but there are no video artifacts throughout the entire 55-minute film AND be aware that this version contains some modern stock music placed in certain scenes which at times can be a bit annoying,but it's only for a couple of seconds.ANGEL AND THE BADMAN's print quality,compared to some of the versions that I've seen,looks terrific with no sound drop-outs and video artifacts whatsoever.The only problem is that even though the box states that it's a full-length film,there is about ten minutes worth of footage cut from this DVD in order to fit two movies on one disc,but who cares! Ten minutes of scenes cut isn't going to kill you !!! All in all,this is a good DVD which also contains bloopers,newsreels,and trivia which I thought was kind of cool and all those can be found in many of the "Hollywood Classics" titles from Madacy.If you wish to see ANGEL AND THE BADMAN without ten minutes of footage cut,then don't buy this.But if you want to see early John Wayne at his best,then this is the DVD for you !!! You be the judge !!!

An early B Western where John Wayne joins the rodeo
In several of the B westerns that John Wayne made for Lone Star/Monogram between 1933-35 he played an undercover agent. That is again the situation in "The Man from Utah," a 1934 effort that was Wayne's sixth film for the poverty row studio. But this time around there is a rather interesting twist when Marshall George Higgins (George "Gabby" Hayes) sends John Weston (Wayne) undercover to a rodeo to investigate who has been murdering the riders. The thought of the Duke at the rodeo is certainly enough to catch your interest, even if he is going to be doubled by the legendary stuntman, Yakima Canutt, who also plays Cheyenne Kent. However, do not be startled with Wayne first appears, strumming a guitar and trying to lip-synch singing a song, because that has nothing to do with the rest of the movie and just a unpleasant reminder that in the first of these films Wayne played a singing cowboy named Singin' Sandy Sanderson.

The romance side of this Western is a bit more than usual, with Wayne being interested in good girl Marjorie Carter (Polly Ann Young, sister of Loretta and Sally Blane) and bad girl Dolores (Anita Campillo). Most of the rodeo scenes are stock footage taken at some real rodeo, and the inserts are rather blatant, but what else did you expect from a poverty row studio. The story by Lindsley Parsons, who did several of Wayne's Lone Star Westerns, was apparently popular enough that Monogram used it again in 1937's "Trouble in Texas" with Tex Ritter, in 1944's "The Utah Kid" with Bob Steele and Hoot Gibson, and in 1952's "Lawless Cowboys" with Whip Wilson. The director was Robert B. Bradbury, who did most of these early films with Wayne. "The Man From Utah" is at least different from these Wayne's other Lone Star films that it is at least an average example of what he was doing at that time.

An early B-Western with John Wayne trying out the rodeo
In several of the B westerns that John Wayne made for Lone Star/Monogram between 1933-35 he played an undercover agent. That is again the situation in "The Man from Utah," a 1934 effort that was Wayne's sixth film for the poverty row studio. But this time around there is a rather interesting twist when Marshall George Higgins (George "Gabby" Hayes) sends John Weston (Wayne) undercover to a rodeo to investigate who has been murdering the riders. The thought of the Duke at the rodeo is certainly enough to catch your interest, even if he is going to be doubled by the legendary stuntman, Yakima Canutt, who also plays Cheyenne Kent. However, do not be startled with Wayne first appears, strumming a guitar and trying to lip-synch singing a song, because that has nothing to do with the rest of the movie and just a unpleasant reminder that in the first of these films Wayne played a singing cowboy named Singin' Sandy Sanderson.

The romance side of this Western is a bit more than usual, with Wayne being interested in good girl Marjorie Carter (Polly Ann Young, sister of Loretta and Sally Blane) and bad girl Dolores (Anita Campillo). Most of the rodeo scenes are stock footage taken at some real rodeo, and the inserts are rather blatant, but what else did you expect from a poverty row studio. The story by Lindsley Parsons, who did several of Wayne's Lone Star Westerns, was apparently popular enough that Monogram used it again in 1937's "Trouble in Texas" with Tex Ritter, in 1944's "The Utah Kid" with Bob Steele and Hoot Gibson, and in 1952's "Lawless Cowboys" with Whip Wilson. The director was Robert B. Bradbury, who did most of these early films with Wayne. "The Man From Utah" is at least different from these Wayne's other Lone Star films that it is at least an average example of what he was doing at that time.

An unusual but enjoyable early John Wayne western
I quite enjoyed The Man From Utah (1934), but it is a rather peculiar old western. John Wayne plays John Weston, a stranger who rides into town, saves the local marshal's life in the aftermath of a bank robbery, and soon finds himself entering a rodeo as an undercover detective of sorts. It seems that the rodeo organizer's boys keep winning all the prize money at each event, while outsider entrants who have a chance to win keep getting "snakebit," literally. It's up to The Duke to infiltrate the gang, figure out how they operate, and save the day. There is a good bit of rodeo action, but a significant portion of it comes from stock footage used in a good number of other early films; this is clearly a mark against The Man From Utah, but it is an understandable way to make a cheap movie back in depression-marked 1934. If you haven't seen the footage elsewhere, it won't matter at all to you. What really distinguishes this film is the music. The movie opens with John Wayne riding into town strumming a guitar and singing; I believe this is stock footage of someone other than The Duke, though. What really got me, though, was the insertion at times, usually during a chase scene, of unusually prominent music consisting mainly of organs and horns (at least, that's what it sounded like to me). I suppose this was done to add tension or excitement to important parts of the film, but the sound of quasi-classical music coming from out of nowhere during an old western really struck me as quite odd. The Man From Utah does have its problems, but it still features John Wayne playing the hero as only he can; this and the presence of the always entertaining Gabby Hayes make this an entertaining old western that all fans of The Duke should enjoy.

Quite the Hero
John Wayne is quite the hero in this short, old western. An enjoyable video showing him in his beginning years of acting. He even sings in this one. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The horses are still the stars
Please realize that these b-westerns were made in the 1930's to be weekly entertainment. We didn't have TV's and the movie was king. However, times have changed. Is this movie still worth watching? Yes.

The Star Packer has one plot gimmick-a hollow tree trunk in the middle of a road in a western town. Once you accept the tree trunk, the movie is actually a decent movie. The story doe not bog down and keeps moving. A westrern has to have some good horse riding in it, and there are some good western action scenes which includes a couple of horse chase scenes. If you like this movie, you might like another early Wayne movie titled "Desert Trail."

Just click on the photo.
The 4 John Wayne films listed on this DVD are "riders of destiny,starpacker,sagebrush trail and man fom Utah".It is just his 1930s b-grade films and not really worth buying.

Wondering
Which films are included in this 2-pack?

A typical old western with a formulaic plot.
I found these movies to be extremely formulaic. The plot wasn't all that bad though and seemed to at least move. The most disappointing factor of all is that it's on DVD and the sound is terrible. You can't understand half of what they say. It sounds like they recorded off of a bad speaker that keeps popping. At one point the film even scrolls. Disappointing use of media, okay plot, excellent for camp value. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

JOHN WAYNE AT HIS BEST - CLASSIC MOVIES
MAN FROM UTAH - Hold on to your saddle, as John Wayne uses his gun to expose the bad guys who are using a rodeo for the underhanded ways. As always, his famous comic sidekick, "Gabby Hayes" is at his side.

RANDY RIDES ALONE - John Wayne is taken charge when a gang of outlaws try to take over a western town. He shows them who's boss and single handedly runs them out of town. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Great John Wayne Double Feature !!!!
John Wayne has been one of Hollywood's greatest american icons for the past nine decades and even after his death in 1979,his legacy of films and memorable characters live on !!! Madacy's "Hollywood Classics" DVD showcases two of his early shoot-em ups.First,the Duke's 1934 B-Western THE MAN FROM UTAH,which is the main spotlight feature of the DVD,features Wayne as a sheriff who ends up with some vicious cowboys who kills some of his rodeo competors and to track them down,justice style.OK early effort by Wayne,but not one of the Duke's best works until his later years.The second film featured on this disc is considered by many fans and critics as one of Wayne's best films of the '40's,the 1947 film ANGEL & THE BADMAN in which he rescues a quaker girl from tough hoodlums.These two films are well-worth checking out,however,like many of Madacy's DVD's,there are a few complications.First off,THE MAN FROM UTAH's print quality is average 1930's,but the source used here on the DVD looks as if it was copied from VHS,but there are no video artifacts throughout the entire 55-minute film AND be aware that this version contains some modern stock music placed in certain scenes which at times can be a bit annoying,but it's only for a couple of seconds.ANGEL AND THE BADMAN's print quality,compared to some of the versions that I've seen,looks terrific with no sound drop-outs and video artifacts whatsoever.The only problem is that even though the box states that it's a full-length film,there is about ten minutes worth of footage cut from this DVD in order to fit two movies on one disc,but who cares! Ten minutes of scenes cut isn't going to kill you !!! All in all,this is a good DVD which also contains bloopers,newsreels,and trivia which I thought was kind of cool and all those can be found in many of the "Hollywood Classics" titles from Madacy.If you wish to see ANGEL AND THE BADMAN without ten minutes of footage cut,then don't buy this.But if you want to see early John Wayne at his best,then this is the DVD for you !!! You be the judge !!!

An early B Western where John Wayne joins the rodeo
In several of the B westerns that John Wayne made for Lone Star/Monogram between 1933-35 he played an undercover agent. That is again the situation in "The Man from Utah," a 1934 effort that was Wayne's sixth film for the poverty row studio. But this time around there is a rather interesting twist when Marshall George Higgins (George "Gabby" Hayes) sends John Weston (Wayne) undercover to a rodeo to investigate who has been murdering the riders. The thought of the Duke at the rodeo is certainly enough to catch your interest, even if he is going to be doubled by the legendary stuntman, Yakima Canutt, who also plays Cheyenne Kent. However, do not be startled with Wayne first appears, strumming a guitar and trying to lip-synch singing a song, because that has nothing to do with the rest of the movie and just a unpleasant reminder that in the first of these films Wayne played a singing cowboy named Singin' Sandy Sanderson.

The romance side of this Western is a bit more than usual, with Wayne being interested in good girl Marjorie Carter (Polly Ann Young, sister of Loretta and Sally Blane) and bad girl Dolores (Anita Campillo). Most of the rodeo scenes are stock footage taken at some real rodeo, and the inserts are rather blatant, but what else did you expect from a poverty row studio. The story by Lindsley Parsons, who did several of Wayne's Lone Star Westerns, was apparently popular enough that Monogram used it again in 1937's "Trouble in Texas" with Tex Ritter, in 1944's "The Utah Kid" with Bob Steele and Hoot Gibson, and in 1952's "Lawless Cowboys" with Whip Wilson. The director was Robert B. Bradbury, who did most of these early films with Wayne. "The Man From Utah" is at least different from these Wayne's other Lone Star films that it is at least an average example of what he was doing at that time.

An early B-Western with John Wayne trying out the rodeo
In several of the B westerns that John Wayne made for Lone Star/Monogram between 1933-35 he played an undercover agent. That is again the situation in "The Man from Utah," a 1934 effort that was Wayne's sixth film for the poverty row studio. But this time around there is a rather interesting twist when Marshall George Higgins (George "Gabby" Hayes) sends John Weston (Wayne) undercover to a rodeo to investigate who has been murdering the riders. The thought of the Duke at the rodeo is certainly enough to catch your interest, even if he is going to be doubled by the legendary stuntman, Yakima Canutt, who also plays Cheyenne Kent. However, do not be startled with Wayne first appears, strumming a guitar and trying to lip-synch singing a song, because that has nothing to do with the rest of the movie and just a unpleasant reminder that in the first of these films Wayne played a singing cowboy named Singin' Sandy Sanderson.

The romance side of this Western is a bit more than usual, with Wayne being interested in good girl Marjorie Carter (Polly Ann Young, sister of Loretta and Sally Blane) and bad girl Dolores (Anita Campillo). Most of the rodeo scenes are stock footage taken at some real rodeo, and the inserts are rather blatant, but what else did you expect from a poverty row studio. The story by Lindsley Parsons, who did several of Wayne's Lone Star Westerns, was apparently popular enough that Monogram used it again in 1937's "Trouble in Texas" with Tex Ritter, in 1944's "The Utah Kid" with Bob Steele and Hoot Gibson, and in 1952's "Lawless Cowboys" with Whip Wilson. The director was Robert B. Bradbury, who did most of these early films with Wayne. "The Man From Utah" is at least different from these Wayne's other Lone Star films that it is at least an average example of what he was doing at that time.

An unusual but enjoyable early John Wayne western
I quite enjoyed The Man From Utah (1934), but it is a rather peculiar old western. John Wayne plays John Weston, a stranger who rides into town, saves the local marshal's life in the aftermath of a bank robbery, and soon finds himself entering a rodeo as an undercover detective of sorts. It seems that the rodeo organizer's boys keep winning all the prize money at each event, while outsider entrants who have a chance to win keep getting "snakebit," literally. It's up to The Duke to infiltrate the gang, figure out how they operate, and save the day. There is a good bit of rodeo action, but a significant portion of it comes from stock footage used in a good number of other early films; this is clearly a mark against The Man From Utah, but it is an understandable way to make a cheap movie back in depression-marked 1934. If you haven't seen the footage elsewhere, it won't matter at all to you. What really distinguishes this film is the music. The movie opens with John Wayne riding into town strumming a guitar and singing; I believe this is stock footage of someone other than The Duke, though. What really got me, though, was the insertion at times, usually during a chase scene, of unusually prominent music consisting mainly of organs and horns (at least, that's what it sounded like to me). I suppose this was done to add tension or excitement to important parts of the film, but the sound of quasi-classical music coming from out of nowhere during an old western really struck me as quite odd. The Man From Utah does have its problems, but it still features John Wayne playing the hero as only he can; this and the presence of the always entertaining Gabby Hayes make this an entertaining old western that all fans of The Duke should enjoy.

Quite the Hero
John Wayne is quite the hero in this short, old western. An enjoyable video showing him in his beginning years of acting. He even sings in this one. ... Read more