PARADISE CANYON
US, 1935, 53 minutes, Black and white.
John Wayne, Marion Burns, Reed Howes, Earle Hodgins.
Directed by Carl Pierson.
Paradise Canyon is one of the better 1935 short John Wayne westerns produced by Lone Star company. This time there is more plot. He is sent to find counterfeiters on the American- Mexican border, suspicions are on an ex-prisoner, Doc Carter with his medicine show. However, Doc Carter has been betrayed by his partner who is now out to kill him. Wayne investigates, by joining the medicine show and then confronting the villains.
Earle Hodgins enjoys himself, especially with his spiels to the gullible folk watching the medicine show. Marion Burns is his sympathetic daughter (she appeared in The Dawn Rider), and John Wayne is genial. The film was directed by Carl Pierson, a prolific editor of films from the 1920s who directed three similar short films in 1935.
1.The popularity of John Wayne westerns of the 1930s? Prolific?
2.The title, the Mexican border, the easy access – with the guard and people walking across the border? Yet the different legal jurisdictions?
3.Black and white photography, the sets for all these films, musical score?
4.John Wayne as John Wyatt, his being commissioned to find the counterfeiters, his pursuing the medicine show, being urged towards Arizona, on the Mexican- American border, saving Doc and taking him across the state line with his horse, towing him, the friendship with Linda? His demonstrations of shooting, Linda’s calm and confidence? The presentation of the medicine show? His going to the Mexican authorities? The villain trying to buy him off? His confrontation with the villain, the counterfeit money planted in the caravan? The pursuits, the shootouts? The happy ending – except Doc getting drunk with the justice of the peace and delaying the wedding? A genial John Wayne performance?
5.Doc Carter, old, in prison, his daughter, his Indian cure, the alcohol content, his drinking it? His long spiels for the gullible audience? His drinking? His love for his daughter, his many resolutions to reform? The confrontation, the search of the caravan, the arrest? His being taken by the villain, he and Linda tied up? Rescued by John?
6.The villain, the counterfeiting work, his underground office? His henchmen, their trying to disrupt the show, plant the counterfeit money? Bested by John?
7.The Mexican authorities, the mix-up and the arrest of John after the fight? The pursuit of the villain?
8.The rescue, everybody happy? A conventional but entertaining western?
