The Desert Trail (1935)

Genre: Western

Directed by: Cullin Lewis

Cast: John Wayne, Mary Kornman, Paul Fix

Running time: 54 minutes

A rodeo star and his gambler friend are framed for the armed robbery and murder of the rodeo official and they have to escape the authorities until they can find a way to prove their innocence.

This 1935 western is a cheesy little B movie, the likes of which John Wayne was known for, especially in his early career. Exaggerated fistfights and horse chases, bad acting from most of the cast, and a story on which not much effort was put; all the elements of a B movie were there. Wayne was decent in the main role, though he had not really found his groove yet, and so was Mary Kornman. The horse chases looked like they were going in fast-forward, which made me laugh quite a bit.

Overall, The Desert Trail can be quite easily skipped without worrying about missing much. Unless you’re a fan of John Wayne or of the genre, don’t bother.

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