The Texas RangersDirected by King Vidor
Written by Louis Stevens
Based on the novel by Walter Prescott Webb
Although the screenplay is credited to Louis Stevens it was actually written by Vidor himself with only the basic plot lifted from Webb's novel of the same name.
Three outlaws are separated after committing a robbery - two of them Jim and Wahoo join the Texas Rangers while the third man, Sam continues with his outlaw ways. Soon his two ex-bandit friends are on his trail in order to bring him to justice.
This film was remade in 1949 under the title, The Streets of Laredo and there is also an unconnected film titled, The Texas Rangers made in 1951 which shares an almost identical plot.
It is this version though that is the best - a good solid old fashioned oater with plenty of action, some great landscape photography with excellent use of shadows and texture in the lush black and white print. The film also boasts a small role for Gabby Hayes as a judge.
It's available on a fine DVD print as part of Universals western collection and well worth seeking out.
1 comment:
You state that the 1936 King Vidor film The Texas Rangers is based on a novel by Walter Prescott Webb.
Webb never wrote a novel. His book, The Texas Rangers was a history book about the early Rangers.
He was a Texas historian and college professor.
By the way, here in Texas we still have plenty of western books on the shelves of book stores and libraries.
Also I'm from Texas and couldn't care less about someone named Arkanas Smith
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