Genres

Visitors Review

whitec-3 2012-05-24 21:15:56

Robust Western with good small production values

Any film with Richard Dix is worth a chance not only because he's alikable and powerful figure but he seemed to bounce around the edges ofthe studio system so that his films vary standard formulas inunpredictable ways. The Kansan's saloon sets are excellent, forinstance, and the crowds well directed--other posts mention theremarkably modern dance number (with perspectival backdrops) and theextended brawl with well-choreographed sequences and characterhighlights. Outdoor cinematography at the toll-bridge across whichseveral incidents of the plot transpire featured impressive depth andangle.A big stable of acting talent also raises this film's quality, but I'lllet other posters provide those kudos.My only difference with other posters is their near-blanketcondemnation of the Bones character played by the terrific WilliamBest. Certainly most of the film's racial dynamics are regrettablystereotypical, but Dix and Best interact as two smart guys recognizingeach other. The film's single best moment for me was when the Jorycharacter enters Best's servant quarters at the Sager Hotel. When Jorywalks in, the Bones character is READING, which suggests that not justWillie Best but his character knows that Bones's minstrel persona is anact. Further, when Jory leaves the room, the door swings shut to reveala portrait of Lincoln.

planktonrules 2012-05-24 11:04:29

The presence of Richard Dix elevates this one...

This is a decent and generally unremarkable western. But, because itstars Richard Dix, it comes off a bit better. While not a householdname, Dix was a very fine actor--mostly because he played a great'everyman'--a believable and rugged guy who was no pretty-boy. Solid,dependable and making the most of his material, he pretty much makesthis film worth watching.The film begins well, as it's pretty creative. Dix is a stranger in anew town and soon after arriving, there's a bank robbery. He happens tobe in the right place at the time and is able to thwart the robbers. Hegets them but is injured in the process. Here's the twist--when heawakens, he hears the crowd outside his window celebrating the electionof a new sheriff...and that sheriff turns out to be HIM! Too good to betrue? Yep. That's because a powerful rich guy has his own reasons forhaving the stranger become sheriff. Fortunately, Dix's character is ondummy. What's next? See this one yourself.Overall, not a bad little film. Despite a VERY familiar plot, Dix andsome decent baddies (Victor Jory and Albert Dekker) are able to elevatethis one to more than just another time-passer.

jetan 2012-05-22 22:01:42

Good One.

This probably doesn't deserve the "B Movie" sobriquet. The productionvalues are pretty high and it is quite heavy on the movie stars. Thislooks to me like it would have taken the A spot on a bill. Dix is goodbut Victor Jory nearly steals the show. The high point is likely one ofthe most over-the-top barroom brawls I've ever seen on celluloid. Thescript is also fine, although nothing too original. The low point inthe movie....aside from a really unfortunate racial caricature.... isprobably represented by a really ghastly World War II style showgirlroutine based around "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". All in all, asatisfying show.

bkoganbing 2012-05-22 03:15:02

The voice of the people make him marshal

The producing/directing team of Harry Sherman and George Archaimbaudwho turned out a couple dozen Hopalong Cassidy movies moved away fromHoppy and the Bar 20 to give us The Kansan, an independent film fromUnited Artists. This western stars Richard Dix as the Shane likecharacter who takes a hand in stopping a bank robbery by the notoriousJames gang. Dix gets good and shot up for his troubles, but while he'son the mend he finds he's been elected town marshal.Engineering his election is town banker Albert Dekker who has manyinterests, legal and extralegal and he'd like a gun-hand like Dix asmarshal to look after those interests. Dekker has cause for regret asDix takes the job very seriously. Dix also starts courting Jane Wyattthe local innkeeper.That doesn't sit well with Victor Jory who is Dekker's brother. ButJory plays a lone hand in life as the film unfolds.Dix's best years on screen were way behind him when he did The Kansan,but he could and does contribute a solid western characterization andgets solid support from the cast. Eugene Palette as a visiting cattlebaron looks a bit lost in the western garb, but he works through it.Western fans will recognize some distinct plot elements the Cecil B.DeMille classic Union Pacific. If you do you know exactly how TheKansan will end.

FightingWesterner 2012-05-19 20:56:05

Tame Western

Bystander Richard Dix stops a bank robbery by the James gang. Badlyinjured, he awakens to find himself unwittingly elected the town's newmarshal, at the behest of local bank president Albert Dekker, who turnsout to be a tyrant who wants Dix firmly under his thumb, a position themarshal has no plans to assume.The best things about this are the presence of Dix and Dekker, as wellas a rowdy saloon fight that has people swinging from chandeliers andrioting uncontrollably. Everything else is too derivative and toomediocre to be memorable.Look fast for George Reeves as Jesse James.

kidboots 2012-05-19 10:56:29

Richard Dix is the best!!!!!

Richard Dix was such a versatile actor and while he could play anything(he even started a series based on "The Whistler" a few years before hedied) I think it was Westerns that he was best suited to. "The Kansan"was his last western and the supporting cast reads like a HollywoodWho's Who - Albert Dekker, Eugene Palette, Victor Jory, RobertArmstrong, Willie Best. It might not be from a big studio but the castis tops!!!John Bonneville wakes up in hospital, not knowing what has happened tohim. He has been made Marshall because he stopped the James Gang fromrobbing the town bank. He was just passing through and is not too keenon being made a Marshall. Most of the town are eager for him to have ago, especially Eleanor (Jane Wyatt, looking very fetching) who not onlynurses him in hospital but also runs the town hotel.Sheriff Steve Barat (Albert Dekker from "Dr. Cyclops") has bought up alot of land and is charging huge fees for people wanting to use theroads. When Bonneville's old friend, Tom Waggoner (Eugene Palette) askshim to help get his cattle across, John realises the Sheriff isn't ashonest as he thought. He also realises why he was made a Marshall - sohe could be just a pawn in the Marshall's scheme. There is a fight inthe saloon that is action packed and very realistic. When the twobandits who caused the fight, are released from jail on bail, Waggoneris killed. The Sheriff, who put up the bail plans to ship the bailmoney to Kansas, with his brother's help. Victor Jory plays Jeff andeven though he is at first eager to help his brother (he has gamblingdebts) he ends up on the right side of the law. His death saves thetown.Robert Armstrong plays Malachy a bandit who helps John and Willie Bestplays "Bones" in yet another humiliating depiction of a black man.Recommended.

classicsoncall 2012-05-19 00:51:11

"No iron brother, just hands and feet."

This obscure 'B' Western stands a cut above most with some creativewriting and rather good performances by the principals. The film alsooffers a number of elements that I hadn't seen before after reviewingalmost three hundred Westerns in this forum. Though a standard featurefor this venue, the barroom brawl here is one of the longest and beststaged fights you'll ever see, initiated by cattleman Tom Waggoner's(Eugene Palette) response to a couple of cowpokes who reach for theirguns (see my summary line above). Once the fur starts to fly, you'llnotice a couple of saloon girls join the action, and they manage to getthe upper hand in their respective segments.Speaking of saloon girls, there was also a spirited song and dancerendition of 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home' by an actress who wasn'tthe female lead, another rarity. For that role, it was a surprise tosee Jane Wyatt in an early film appearance, looking rather gorgeous asthe hotel manager in Broken Lance. She spends her time in the filmbalancing her affections between the picture's star, Richard Dix, andVictor Jory, portraying the brother of town boss, Steve Barat (AlbertDekker). Jory always manages to succeed well in his roles, and is oneof the few actors who can pull off hero and villain roles just aseasily. In this one he straddles the fence for pretty much the entirepicture, keeping you guessing on which way he'll turn by the finale.Speaking of which, one gets a fairly good impression that Jory'scharacter didn't make it, but if this was a serial, he would have shownup in the next chapter.Then there's Willie Best in a comic relief role, used unfortunately toso much of the stereotype of a scaredy cat black man when facingdanger. There was also an unfortunate line uttered by John Bonniwell(Dix) when he asked 'Bones' to "Come here boy". This was a prettycommon occurrence in pictures of the era, and subliminally comes acrossas racist. With today's rarefied sense of political correctness, thecomment was certainly noticeable, however Bonniwell treated Bones wellthroughout the rest of the story.As for the story, a couple other reviewers do a good job of explainingthe basic plot, so I won't dwell on that. With my viewing, I was on thelookout for supporting and uncredited actors that often pop up in theseoaters, and "The Kansan" is a gold mine if you pay attention. RobertArmstrong is a Waggoner cattleman behind a mustache, and Rod Cameron ison board as a cowhand. It's easy to miss George Reeves in that quickshoot 'em up opening scene as Jesse James, while Jason Robards Sr.operates as one of Steve Barat's bank tellers. The rest of theuncredited cast holds a whole pile of bit actors whose names pop up inWesterns all up and down the Forties and Fifties.

Arne Andersen 2012-05-18 10:21:17

Brisk Grade B western with a twist.

This is a small grade film with a twist. A marshall turns on the corrupttown officials who appointed him to office. He spends the rest of thefilmbattling both them and the usual outlaws. Richard Dix is fine in a rolethat is made for him. Jane Wyatt provides the love interest. Victor Joryas the suave but all too human villain is also memorable. This receivedanOscar nom for Original Score - probably not deserving.