In the 1930s and 40s, westerns were
in full swing. Of course there were the famous big pictures, but there
was also an absolute deluge of little ones. Short 50 minute packets of
rip-roaring adventure[s], with noble but bland heroes, sinister outlaws,
lots of singing, and occasional ghosts and ghouls.
Out
in the not-so-old but still very much wild west, cowgirl Helen Rickson
keeps the peace. The police respect her, her family and friends adore
her, and local outlaws fear her. Helen's father falls in deep with some
gambling debts however, and a high influential criminal uses this to
frame the family for theft of $5000 dollars worth of prize money. Now on
the run from forces good and bad alike, Helen must find a way to stop
these crooks and clear her name...
The...um,
suggestively titled Ride 'Em Cowgirl is a perfect example of these
[quickie] westerns. It's got all the trappings, and a familiar story,
but it manages to be a fun ride.
I
went into this expecting the most basic level western, and it is that,
but it also surprised me a lot with the sheer amount of effort put into
it! It may be a dine a dozen story, and the male lead may be as
forgettable as a whatchamacallit, but despite its short length of 53
minutes/53 minute length, Ride 'Em Cowgirl is a very snug film. The plot
is effective, the action is entertaining, the characters each get their
times to shine and plenty of screentime, and there are even effective
callbacks to earlier in the film. For such a short and simple movie,
it's a lot of fun seeing this much/level of care behind the scenes.
For
a film made in the 1930s, this is quite progressive too! The lead is a
badass cowgirl who's never stuck in the kitchen, washing anyone's socks,
nor rescued by others/men an unreasonable amount. I also appreciate
that nothing is ever made of the fact that she's a woman. No hamfisted
lines/dialogue to drive the point home. Just simple straight to the
point cowgirl action, with her actions saying everything that needs to
be said.
Not
only is the story in Ride 'Em Cowgirl a typical one, but all the old
cliches are here. A single punch in a saloon causes an uproarious
bar-fight where no-one is safe, and guns magically never run out of
bullets[, no matter how many shots are fired]. Characters also have the
unhealthy habit of gesturing or scratching themselves with their
firearms. I get that you might have a real itch, but please, put it
away! All of this provides a lot of life, making this a comfy viewing
experience.
One
interesting element to the film, which shocked me at first, is that
it's set in the modern day!...Well, it iwasi set in the modern day.
[Yes,] there are cars, telephones, and other kinds of nifty appliances. I
quite like this. It doesn't feel like a budget-saving method (as these
are elements easily enough kept out of sight on a cowboy set), and it
shows to the audiences at home that just because you live in the
present, doesn't mean you can't still have a cowboy/western adventure of
your own!
Getting
properly into the characters, they're a likeable bunch. You've got the
heroic rancher/cowgirl Helen, who has a keen sense of justice. Helpful
stranger Oliver is utterly unremarkable, so now that I've already
forgotten most of what he does, let's move on to the other characters.
Belle, former Vaudeville actress turned amateur cowgirl, is a fun and
lively presence. Spunky without being obnoxious, and justifies her
[presence] throughout by being a good friend, and a nice source of
comedy. Then there's Oliver's sidekick Dan Haggerty, who's an amusing
comic foil. He's not just a dopey klutz though, but also gets some
sincere romance, straightlaced scenes, and plenty of competent and
heroic moments!
Even
Helen's father gets a bit of complexity to him. He's a goodhearted and
loving man, but is also flawed, as he's got a gambling problem, and
barely thinks twice before putting his precious ranch up as collateral.
portrays him well as a kind but flawed man
Dorothy
Page is a great lead. She has just the right mix of [pure] without
being bland. Milton Frome meanwhile has iexactlyi the wrong mix/perfect
mix of being bland. He's nice, but completely forgettable, and I could
barely remember what he even looked like throughout. Still, he never
does a bad job, to his credit.
Lin
Mayberry is a ton of fun as city slicker Belle, endearingly clumsy,
while also being genuinely helpful, and friendly. Vince Barnett is
treated very well here. He was mostly known for being comic relief, and
he does fit that role here too, but he's given actual character! He's
also visually distinctive, especially when standing next to the faceless
man who plays the male lead.
And
lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the valuable part the
horses play in this picture. They're adorable, talented, and act their
roles perfectly, with nary a misplaced hoof.
There
are a couple of songs here, and they're alright. Nothing special, but
nothing horrible either, and they're sung well. They're your [typical]
tunes of romance under prairie moons, etc.
Ride
'Em Cowgirl is directed with a decent eye for visuals. The gunfights
are all staged well, and the galloping horses do a good job with the
races and chases. Some of the close-quarters fights can be a bit of a
jumble though.
No comments:
Post a Comment