An effective ensemble cast works well together here to tell the story of rival oil men operating a strike near Antril Bend. The first thing that got my attention was when Johnny Maverick (Richard Arlen) picked up hitchhiker Harold 'Chicopee' Nevins (Elisha Cook Jr.) and quickly shook him down for eighty cents to fill up his gas tank! That had to be good for about eight gallons I would think, and a lot cheaper than the mixed drinks going for a quarter each at Kelley's Rig. If you grew up anytime after 1990 or so, you would probably think that this was some crackpot's idea of wishful thinking.
Right out of the gate it looked like Johnny Maverick was going to con his way through the entire picture, but things take a serious turn when his partner Chicopee is killed in an accident that was rigged by villain Rawlins (Buster Crabbe in an uncharacteristic role). Another flim-flam man (William Frawley) sees an opportunity to work on Johnny's sympathy, and sends in partner Nan Deering (Arline Judge) to snag a stake in Johnny's claim. At that point you can pretty much see where this one is headed.
Whenever I see William Frawley I'm always struck with the same thought but I've never mentioned it, so why not do it now - no matter what picture I ever see him in he always looks the same. It's the opposite of the Dick Clark effect who never appeared to grow old, Frawley always looks like a crotchety but comical old coot, which served him well as Lucy's next door neighbor a decade after this film came out. I guess I'll have to catch him in something pre-1930 to see if he ever looked like he might have been young once.
Besides Frawley, you've got some good support here from the likes of Arthur Hunnicutt and Ralph Sanford who also lend a lighter note to the proceedings. Arlen's character gets his well in by the end of the picture and closes out with a smooch from Chicopee's 'sister'. If you like this kind of fare, you might try an earlier entry from 1936 called "Black Gold" with Frankie Darro and LeRoy Mason, or the more intense 1949 film "Tulsa" starring Susan Hayward.
Right out of the gate it looked like Johnny Maverick was going to con his way through the entire picture, but things take a serious turn when his partner Chicopee is killed in an accident that was rigged by villain Rawlins (Buster Crabbe in an uncharacteristic role). Another flim-flam man (William Frawley) sees an opportunity to work on Johnny's sympathy, and sends in partner Nan Deering (Arline Judge) to snag a stake in Johnny's claim. At that point you can pretty much see where this one is headed.
Whenever I see William Frawley I'm always struck with the same thought but I've never mentioned it, so why not do it now - no matter what picture I ever see him in he always looks the same. It's the opposite of the Dick Clark effect who never appeared to grow old, Frawley always looks like a crotchety but comical old coot, which served him well as Lucy's next door neighbor a decade after this film came out. I guess I'll have to catch him in something pre-1930 to see if he ever looked like he might have been young once.
Besides Frawley, you've got some good support here from the likes of Arthur Hunnicutt and Ralph Sanford who also lend a lighter note to the proceedings. Arlen's character gets his well in by the end of the picture and closes out with a smooch from Chicopee's 'sister'. If you like this kind of fare, you might try an earlier entry from 1936 called "Black Gold" with Frankie Darro and LeRoy Mason, or the more intense 1949 film "Tulsa" starring Susan Hayward.