VALLEY OF THE SUN

US, 1942, 79 minutes, Black and white.
James Craig, Lucille Ball, Dean Jagger, Billy Gilbert, Cedric Hardwicke, Peter Whitney, Tom Tyler, Antonio Moreno, George Cleveland.
Directed by George Marshall.

Valley of the Sun has some interesting credentials but ultimately is a mish-mash of a western.

It starts fairly seriously with a focus on Indian troubles, white friends and white troublemakers. However, while it keeps its serious theme, it moves more and more towards slapstick.

The hero is James Craig, fairly engaging, and the villain is Dean Jagger a good actor who shows some skill in a curiously-written role. The focus is on Lucille Ball as his fiancee and she exercises her skill in comedy as well as being the leading lady. Comedian Billy Gilbert is there dithering around and, surprise, Sir Cedric Hardwicke is an Englishman out on the Arizona plains. lie and Billy Gilbert have a sequence where they whoop around imitating Indians.

The heart of the film is in the right place and makes a point for Indians. However, there are battles, the army, shoot-outs - as well as the comedy.

Director is George Marshall, director of many routine westerns and comedies.