WILD BILL HICKOK RIDES

US, 1942, 82 minutes, Black-and-white.
Constance Bennett, Bruce Cabot, Warren William, Betty Brewer, Walter Catlett, Ward Bond, Howard Da Silva, Frank Wilcox, Faye Emerson, Julie Bishop, Russell Simpson.
Directed by Ray Enright.

Wild Bill Hickok is one of the celebrities of the wild West in the years when there was a great need of law and order. He has had many film and television incarnations, most significantly, Jeff Bridges in Wild Bill. This time he is played by Bruce Cabot, a character actor who came to prominence with King Kong. He is joined by Constance Bennett as a saloon girl with a mind of her own and Warren William, once again playing, as he did so well, a smooth-talking and sinister type. There are quite a number of character actors with Walter Catlett as the obsequious editor of the paper, Ward Bond as a corrupt sheriff and Howard Da Silva as a corrupt lawyer.

The film opens, with a touch of spectacle, and the Chicago Fire which gives rise to characters leaving for Powder River and becoming involved in cattle grazing and marketing. A syndicate wants to take over from the individual farmers, leading to murder and the framing of farmers, to invective articles in the papers criticising Bill, to employing the saloon manager to use her wiles to seduce Bill. There is also a feisty young girl, Janey, played by Betty Brewer.

Direction is by a regular in many genres at Warner Brothers, Ray Enright.

1. The well-known western character? Lawman, strong with the gun? A legend? Many incarnations in film and television?

2. Black-and-white photography, the western settings, musical score, songs, landscapes, atmosphere?

3. The opening with the fire in Chicago, the touch of spectacle?

4. Farrell, the men watching the fire, cattlemen, the group, their money, the plan? Taking over Powder River?

5. Farrell and his relationship with Belle, the girls, losing everything in the fire, inviting them to the town, setting up a gambling saloon? The success, the crowds, the songs?

6. The train journey, Bill Hickok the doll, the robberies, the shootouts, Bill and his saving Belle and the women, Farrell and his hiding in the toilet?

7. The town, Farrell and his power, having the sheriff in his control, the various supporters in the town, those claiming the land, tensions in the town? His suave and charming manner?

8. Bill, his reputation, the law, on the train, the good shot?

9. Janey Nolan, the story about saving her? The gift, owning the land, the cattle, having the water source, the threats?

10. Belle, being asked by Farrell to change Bill’s attitude? The scenes together? Her principles?

11. The plan, getting the editor on side, his kowtowing, the irony of Bill getting the haircut, the editor’s chatter, shooting the weather vane? The articles against Bill? The framing of Nolan?

12. The Court scenes, the judge and his fair stances, the range of witnesses, the lies, Janey on the stand, forthright, Bill trying to get the witness, track him down, rescuing him, arriving too late? The jewellery and their decision? The rousing up of the rabble, the lynching of Nolan?

13. Janey, her age, strong, the talk, control of Bill, after his being wounded, the confrontation with Belle, joining with her?

14. The editor, his idea about flooding the Valley, the owners rounding up their cattle, Belle giving information, evacuating the cattle from the flooded valley?

15. Farrell, setting up the explosives, the shootout, the role of the Sheriff, their deaths? The flooding?

16. The group going to Chicago, Janey for education, Bill and Belle together?