West of the Divide ** (1934, John Wayne, George ‘Gabby’ Hayes, Yakima Canutt) – Classic Movie Review 7176

West of the Divide (1934) – A young John Wayne stars in a pacy Lone Star B Western. 

John Wayne stars in writer-director Robert N Bradbury’s 1934 Lone Star/ Monogram Pictures black and white Western West of the Divide as young gun Ted Hayden, who rides off on the trail of the man who killed his father, and in search of his missing younger brother, while falling for fair farm woman Fay Winters (Virginia Brown Faire). Of course, none but the brave deserve the Faire.

A by now much improved young Wayne gives it authority, George ‘Gabby’ Hayes (as Hayden’s pal Dusty Rhodes) and Yakima Canutt are, as always, welcome faces in Wayne movies, there are good stunts by Canutt, it moves at a fast lick, and was made just as quickly.

It is a remake of the 1931 Partners of the Trail.

Also in the cast are Lloyd Whitlock, Lafe McKee, Billy O’Brien, Blackie Whiteford, Earl Dwire and Dick Dickinson.

West of the Divide is directed by Robert N Bradbury, runs 54 minutes, is made by Lone Star, is released by Monogram Pictures, is written by Robert N Bradbury, from a story by Robert N Bradbury, is shot in black and white by Archie J Stout and is produced by Paul Malvern.

It is featured on a Wayne triple bill DVD containing Riders of Destiny, West of the Divide and Sagebrush Trail.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7176

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