Riders of Black River (1939) User Reviews

Writing and Photography

[boblipton · 6/10 · 8 November 2014]

Charles Starrett spent more than a decade on the lists of the Top Ten Cowboy Stars -- a sure source of income for Columbia Pictures -- and the production values of this movie are some of the reasons why. Ford Beebe's script -- a reworking of 1935's THE REVENGE RIDER -- is a strong story with many threads. Starrett returns home, able to buy the ranch and marry pretty Iris Meredith, but first he has to deal with the cattle rustlers who are using the ranch to hide their stolen chattel.

Cinematographer George Meehan favors strong shots, shifting nicely between two-shots, three-shots and group portraits, to handsome effect. Add in the Sons of the Pioneers, who sing whenever they are going somewhere on horseback and you have a solid Western that belies its tiny B budget.

Starrett at his best!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 13 April 2018]

Copyright 31 August 1939 by Columbia Pictures Corp. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 23 August 1939. 6 reels. 59 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: An ex-Texas Ranger defeats rustlers on his girlfriend's ranch.

NOTES: A remake of The Revenge Rider (1935) which starred Tim McCoy.

COMMENT: A very interesting and agreeable western. The Sons of the Pioneers are always welcome and here they are in top-notch form. Their songs are very pleasing and they also contribute to the action as well as providing some gentle comic relief - full marks to the scriptwriter and director for exploiting their talents so well. It is interesting that the director uses these songs exclusively throughout the film and does not employ any other music at all. In fact, there is no background music as such, not even under the front and end titles. Instead, there is a startlingly effective use of sound effects: the rustle of a piece of paper, the click of a latch, the whittling of a piece of wood, fingers drumming on a table, a group of hoofbeats moving off followed by those of a lone rider.

In conjunction, the director frequently has the characters doing bits of business, and he uses close-ups most effectively. The action scenes are well-staged, and surprisingly, no doubles are used, even in the climactic fist fight in a burning cabin.

Charles Starrett and Iris Meredith turn in their usual capable portrayals, Dick Curtis makes splendid work of the villain (with delightfully dour-faced Eddie Cobb along in his usual type-casting as a loyal henchman), while Stanley Brown gives an excellent impersonation of a wavering gang member.

George Meehan's photography (with an assist from the laboratory) has a bright, dusty haze that is atmospherically in character. The screenplay has interesting dialogue and entertaining plot twists, though it is a bit short of on-camera action. But all in all, a commendable effort.