Harold Bell Wright (1872-1944) was an exceptionally popular novelist in the first and second decades of the 20th century, though only two of his books — The Shepherd of the Hills (1907) and The Winning of Barbara Worth (1911) — will ring any bells today.
This version of When a Man's a Man (which does not bear a great deal of similarity to the silent film) was re-made in 1958 by director William Wyler as a big-budget "A" feature, The Big Country. Gregory Peck, Burl Ives, Carroll Baker, Charles Bickford and Charlton Heston enacted the roles here played by George O'Brien, Harry Woods, Dorothy Wilson, Richard Carlisle and Paul Kelly, respectively.
COMMENT: The 1941 version of Rev. Harold Bell Wright's The Shepherd of the Hills became an instant cult movie in Australia when it was re-issued by Paramount in the late 1950s. Not unexpectedly, the nation's TV masters failed to capitalize on this success. The picture was allowed to slip back into obscurity until it was aired on pay-TV in 1999 and has since become one of the most requested titles on FOX Movies. The reasons for this success are simply that not only are Wright's characters strong and his plots forceful, but that he has a wonderful knack for turning story clichés on their heads. Thus an in-the-wrong father shoots his innocent son down at the climax of Shepherd; whilst, after besting a very nasty villain (who's tried to kill him, as well as murder, maim and rob the nice little heroine) in A Man's a Man, the hero calmly shakes hands with the fiend, as he exchanges a mild pleasantry — thus letting the monster off scot free, before riding off into the twilight. As brilliantly played by Harry Woods, the sadistic heavy seems even more repugnant to 2017 audiences than he did 100 years ago, on account of his cruelty to hundreds of animals whom he has deliberately deprived of water, causing them to die of thirst.
George O'Brien has one of his best roles as the carefree and irresponsible, ex-playboy hero. George plays this part so ingratiatingly, he smooths many of the character's rough and not even particularly sympathetic edges, managing to fully retain audience empathy despite some erratic, quirky and even over-pushy behavior.
An unusually fine actress to discover in a "B" western, pocket-sized Dorothy Wilson is not only beautiful but completely believable. It's a rare talent indeed who will allow her face to register such strong emotion.
Paul Kelly, of course, needs no introduction to movie fans. Here he portrays the sort of quick-tempered, self-centered, down-to- business, surly yet with a sense of fun, secondary lead at which he was so marvelously proficient.
Aside from fiendish Harry Woods, the other roles are small. Edgar Norton makes a lasting impression in the opening scenes as the playboy's snooty but unhelpful "Man Friday".
Edward F. Cline's remarkable career as a director stretches all the way from 1923 to 1948. He brought in quite a few extremely popular hits, though he is best known today for his cult comedies, Million Dollar Legs (1932), My Little Chickadee (1940), The Bank Dick (1940), Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941), Crazy House (1943), and The Ghost Catchers (1944). He died in 1961.
When a Man's a Man — as usual with Lesser productions — is a carefully crafted and wholly engaging serving of "B" entertainment. True, there are a few obvious stock shots, but their use is more than redeemed by some excellent camera-work in the film's real locations.
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