For this former Front-Row Kid turned arm-chair geezer the flick delivers the goods. At first,, I thought I'd tuned into tv's Happy Days as the saloon guys couldn't be happier, standing around laughing with more hand-shakes than a family get-together. But then the plot takes over, the bullets fly fast, the horses fly faster, and Steele shows his acrobatic stuff. And get a load of bad guy Taggart. He never met a guy he couldn't swindle first and does. Just the thought of his possibly riding into the sunset with the sweetly innocent Bess made me grab another beer.
Actually, the plot's more skillfully crafted than most horse operas. I learned something about land deed transference as the plot revolves around who owns the ranch: is it the Prestons, Steele, or the nasty Taggart. Note too a couple of unsual touches: one gang of cowboys actually putting on hat scarves to distinguish themselves in a shoot-out from their rivals, and bad guy Taggart actually shooting Steeles' horse from under him during a chase and winning it. Then too, that final scene with our hero and Bess may be the most satisfying of any programmer, then or now, and shows why Steele deserves 'Sunrise'. All in all, the flick's a well-mounted return to yester-year that even newbees can enjoy.