User Reviews

"Head him off at the pass" - probably the first time those words were spoken in a movie!!!

Many of Bob Steele's films seemed to be about missing fathers and separated brothers etc. In this film he plays Jim Smith, who poses as The Oklahoma Cyclone and rides into town to escape a posse. With Charles Kng playing the sheriff, you know he has something to hide and from his reaction to a Wanted poster for "The Black Dialbo", you get the feeling that's who he is!!

"I'm swaying like a drunken female" - one of the "witty" quotes.

There is not much cyclone about Smith - more like a gentle breeze - he seems to spend a lot of time singing and romancing Carmelita (Rita Rey) who also sings as well!!!! There is not much information on the lovely Rita Rey. Her filmography lists only 3 films. She may have been one of the many South American actresses who came looking for fame - hoping to be the next Lupe Velez!!! In this film although she plays the Mexican heroine, Carmelita, her accent is hard to understand - maybe that was the problem. In 1946 she was part of a group of actors that participated in Mexico's first experimental TV station.

Smith also learns, through his pal Slim (Al St John, an old Mack Sennett comedian) that the Black Diablo is planning a raid south of the border. Smith goes with them, knowing his father is being held prisoner by them down there. Oddly enough instead of ending with a romantic clinche, the film ends with Smith cradling his dying pal, Slim, in his arms.

Not recommended.

Outrunning a posse is cowpoke Jim Smith(Bob Steele), also known as the Oklahoma Cyclone. He takes refuge in an outlaw hideout run by the Black Diablo(Charles King), who is suspected of holding Smith's father hostage. Pretending to be an outlaw himself, the Oklahoma Cyclone romances and sings to a charming Mexican girl(Rita Rey). Good thing he shoots better than he sings. When Black Diablo decides to make a raid across the border, Smith goes along thinking that is where his father is being held captive. A grainy black and white dusty rootin' tootin' cowboy flick fun to watch. Also in the cast: Al St. John and Cliff Lyons.

One of the worst western-B with Bob Steele I've ever seen.

It's a good thing there were some other reviews here for this film, as I probably wouldn't have known what the story was about. To me, the dialog was virtually inaudible for most of the picture, although I did manage a clear line every now and then, like the one in my summary line above. Fortunately, besides Bob Steele, I managed to recognize B Western stalwarts like Al (before he was Fuzzy) St. John and perennial villain Charles King, looking almost slim in an early villain role.

One could argue that this film offered a couple of firsts given it's 1930 vintage. In the opening chase scene, a sheriff's posse decides against following Steele's character down a steep, rugged hill, and the sheriff declares to his men - "We'll head him off at the pass". This is also the oldest Western in which I've seen the cowboy hero sing. At least it looked like Steele was doing his own songs. Bob, who's real name was Bradbury, had a brother Bill who picked up some spare change as a college student dubbing other cowboy crooners since he had a pretty fair voice of his own. Others will dispute it, but it was probably Bill who dubbed John Wayne's singing voice in 1933's "Riders of Destiny".

Other than the handful of tunes, the only other thing this one has going for it is pretty Rita Rey as a romantic interest for the Oklahoma Cyclone, or Jim Smith as it were. Rita even gets to sing a song of her own, but it looked pretty comical when Steele handed his guitar to her, as she had a back-up band waiting in the wings.

"The Oklahoma Cyclone" was originally released back in 1930.

Anyway - As the story goes - When his father goes missing, Jimmy Henderson suspects ruthless gang leader McKim. The fearless Jimmy goes undercover masquerading as an outlaw known as the Oklahoma Cyclone. Upon joining McKim's gang he discovers that the other gang members dislike him intensely except for Slim. When the time comes for a showdown, his friendship with Slim proves to be critical.

This is a pre-code sound western churned out on a bottom-of-the-barrel budget under the watchful eye of Trem Carr, who ran Monogram for many years. But if has pizazz and cast and crew are working hard to deliver to their audience. There's a nice opener that establishes Bob Steele's cowboy credentials as he outwits a posse. The picture gets flabby in the middle. It wouldn't seem so if the acting and some bright dialogue moments weren't so painful. Performers often wait what seems like seconds to respond to a line of dialogue. But embedded within these moments there is attention to character, relational tensions and motivations. Star Bob Steele and his frequent nemesis, a notably slim Charles King, work hard to deliver a rousing punch up for the climax. The two actors invested time in choreographing their fights over the many years they worked together. It shows here, likely with support from not-yet legendary stuntman Cliff Lyons, who gets screen credit. And there is a death scene that is highly original and masterful. Cut this film some slack, stick with it and it has its own rewards.