Hidden Genre Gems for Fans of The Last Frontier: Cult Guide

Dir: Edward A. Kull

A "square" gambler first breaks and then saves the lover of a girl whom he later loves himself. The girl gives up her lover in favor of the gambler after learning the former's weakness and the latter's strength.

Dir: Charles Giblyn

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Singing River perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A persistent drought threatens the crops of homesteader Lang Rush, and he faces a mortgage foreclosure by the bank. At the local saloon, outlaw Sam Hemp suggests that Lang rob the bank as restitution. The exchange escalates into a gunfight, which leaves Sam and his wealthy friend, Drayton, dead. Lang flees to the mountains and takes refuge in a deserted shack near Singing River, where he prospects for silver. Bert Condon, a former homesteader, trails Lang in the hope of collecting a $5,000 reward, but ultimately befriends the fugitive and assists in filing Lang's claim when he strikes ore. On his return to town, Lang rescues the sheriff's daughter, Alice Thornton, from Hemp's gang and defeats their leader, L. W. Bransom, in a fistfight. He then clears himself of the murder charge and wins Alice.

Dir: Paul Cazeneuve

Chick Crandall, half owner of the Flying A Ranch, returns home after a five-year absence and, because he is suspicious of his foreman Sam Curtis' activities, decides to proceed incognito. Disguised as Harold Montague, his partner's son, Chick works among the ranch hands and discovers that Curtis is rustling cattle and is responsible for driving Barbara Hampton and her aunt from their home. After a series of skirmishes between Chick and Curtis, Curtis is expelled from the ranch, Chick reveals his true identity, and Montague is so pleased with his partner that he relinquishes his share of the ranch to him. Chick, now full owner of the Flying A, offers his home in a marriage partnership with Barbara.

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Square Shooter perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

When saloon owner Bill Lark detects that gambler Jim Pemberton is cheating, both men draw their guns. In order to prevent a double killing, it is agreed that the first shot should be decided by a draw from a deck of cards. Bill loses and Pemberton gives him three days to live. Meanwhile, Pemberton has persuaded Jess Jones to leave her husband and ride with him to his cabin in the hills where he is chief of a gang of bandits. Upon discovering his wife's absence, Scipio Jones follows Jess but is driven away by Pemberton's gang. After Jones fails, Bill retrieves Jess and brings her home. The next day, Bill is severely wounded when he drives a stagecoach through an attack by Pemberton's gang, but escapes to keep his date with the outlaw. Arriving to accept his fate of the last draw, Bill discovers that the outlaw has been killed by Scipio Jones. Provided with a new lease on life, the honest saloon keeper marries his sweetheart Little Casino.

Dir: Denison Clift

Upon inheriting the H. C. Ranch, young Easterner Jane Hunter ventures West to take possession of her legacy. Soon after arriving, she appoints a cowboy named Hepburn as the foreman. Ranch hand Tom Beck suspects that Hepburn may be in league with the band of rustlers who are victimizing the ranch, but says nothing. An attachment springs up between Tom and his boss, and when Dick Hilton, Jane's former suitor, follows her West and begins making unwelcome advances towards her, Tom intervenes and orders him from the house. With Hepburn's resignation as foreman, Tom takes over the job and, after a quarrel with Jane, sets out to track down the rustlers. Captured by the outlaws, Tom is left to die in a remote canyon. As Tom struggles to free himself, the gang is apprehended and brought to trial. Jane is sentencing them as the escaped Tom appears in the courtroom. Overjoyed, she rushes towards him, and in the ensuing chaos, the gang escapes. A shootout follows and Tom wins both the fight and Jane.

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Twins of Suffering Creek perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Tough outlaw 'Sierra' Bill falls in love with traveling violinist Nelly Gray and forces her to marry him. They have a child, but their cozy family life is interrupted by gambler Ringo, who not only persuades Nelly to leave her husband but also ruins Sierra at the gaming table. With thoughts of vengeance, the angry Sierra breaks out of jail and goes after Ringo.

Dir: Clifford Smith

Sergeant Tim Ryerson of the North West Mounted Police is commissioned to round up a gang that smuggles Chinese laborers across the border. While visiting his fiancée, Sylvia Sturgis, at her father's ranch, Tim becomes suspicious of ranch foreman Ferdinand Baird, who is the leader of the smugglers. One night, Tim catches Baird smuggling Chinese across the border to the U.S., but Baird escapes and flees to the Sturgis house where he abducts Sylvia. Tim pursues Baird to Vancouver's Chinatown, raids the smuggler's headquarters, and rescues Sylvia.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Last Straw perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Rancher Joe Cumberland finds "Whistling Dan" in the desert and gives the boy a home, rearing him with his daughter Kate. Dan, grown to manhood, remains untamed, possessing a hot temper which ignites his eyes into a yellow glow when he is angered. Dan's eyes glow and he vows revenge when outlaw Jim Silent tries to kill him in a saloon brawl. Kate goes to the outlaw camp to prevent Dan from killing Silent, but is taken prisoner. The confrontation between the two men escalates when Dan captures Lee Haines, one of Silent's men, and Silent retaliates by imprisoning Kate's father. After a trade of prisoners, Dan trails the outlaws and exterminates the entire gang except for Silent. The two adversaries then slug it out, with Dan strangling his tormentor. His revenge accomplished, Dan is somewhat tamed and settles down with Kate.

Dir: Unknown Director

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Kenneth Brampton

Two brothers, Dick and Jim Marsden, become involved with the bushranger, Captain Starlight. They romance two girls, work on the goldfields, and are captured by the police after Starlight is shot dead