The Arizona Ranger is directed by John Rawlins and written by Norman Houston. It stars Tim Holt, Jack Holt, Nan Leslie, Richard Martin, Steve Brodie and Paul Hurst. Music is by Paul Sawtell and cinematography by J. Roy Hunt.
Returning home from his service with the Rough Riders, Bob Morgan falls out with his father when he announces that he does not want to work on the family ranch. He instead has signed up to become one of the Arizona Rangers, which is timely as there is a nefarious element operating in the area, the leader of which has a wife that seems to need Bob's help.
Clocking in at just over an hour in length, it's surprising to find that this "B" Western has more to offer than merely yee-haw histrionics. There's a well written and emotionally fraught father and son dynamic here, being played by real life father and son Jack and Tim Holt, while the role of lone female Nan Leslie rises well above being just a piggy in the middle romantic token - with a spousal abuse angle adding some potency to the pressure cooker atmosphere.
On the flip-side there's enough 1940s style Western staples to cheer the genre faithful. Fist-fights aplenty, hold-ups, shoot-outs, a jailbreak and a whole ream of quality horsemanship on show, both solo and via wagons and carriages. It's also got some genuine smile inducing humour, normally when Richard Martin's Chito Rafferty is involved, and Brodie as a bully boy serves further notice to what an icon of bad guy roles he was in the 40s and 50s.
With the lovely Santa Clarita backdrop helping to keep the tech credits high, and the expert use of the word lollygagging! This is a thoroughly enjoyable Oater yarn, one that's not without some screenplay smarts either. 7/10
Returning home from his service with the Rough Riders, Bob Morgan falls out with his father when he announces that he does not want to work on the family ranch. He instead has signed up to become one of the Arizona Rangers, which is timely as there is a nefarious element operating in the area, the leader of which has a wife that seems to need Bob's help.
Clocking in at just over an hour in length, it's surprising to find that this "B" Western has more to offer than merely yee-haw histrionics. There's a well written and emotionally fraught father and son dynamic here, being played by real life father and son Jack and Tim Holt, while the role of lone female Nan Leslie rises well above being just a piggy in the middle romantic token - with a spousal abuse angle adding some potency to the pressure cooker atmosphere.
On the flip-side there's enough 1940s style Western staples to cheer the genre faithful. Fist-fights aplenty, hold-ups, shoot-outs, a jailbreak and a whole ream of quality horsemanship on show, both solo and via wagons and carriages. It's also got some genuine smile inducing humour, normally when Richard Martin's Chito Rafferty is involved, and Brodie as a bully boy serves further notice to what an icon of bad guy roles he was in the 40s and 50s.
With the lovely Santa Clarita backdrop helping to keep the tech credits high, and the expert use of the word lollygagging! This is a thoroughly enjoyable Oater yarn, one that's not without some screenplay smarts either. 7/10
