Fighting Texans: A B-Western Mess That Somehow Stays Charming

Is it worth your time?

If you're into the kind of B-westerns where the plot happens in the background while everyone is busy shouting, you’ll dig this. It’s a total mess of a movie, but it has this weird, frantic energy that kept me awake. If you hate old, grainy black-and-white films where the audio sounds like it was recorded in a trash can, skip it.

The whole thing hinges on Graves being a slick salesman. Honestly, he’s exhausting to watch. He spends the first half just rattling off lines like he’s trying to win a speed-talking contest. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in It Pays to Advertise, only with more spurs and less suits.

The moment Nash shuts down the well, you can just feel the air go out of the room. It’s not a clever twist, but the way the townspeople suddenly turn from gullible investors into an angry mob is just… abrupt. There’s no transition. One second they’re buying shares, the next they’re ready to string someone up.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Fighting Texans (1933) through its definitive frames.

I caught a glimpse of George 'Gabby' Hayes in there. He’s always a delight, even when he’s stuck in a movie that feels like it was filmed over a long weekend. You can tell the budget wasn't exactly high, especially during the scene where they gather the mob. It looks like they rounded up about twelve people and told them to look mean at the camera.

Odd observations:

• The pacing is all over the place. Sometimes it’s too slow, then suddenly everyone is running.
• The way they handle the money plot is super vague. I still don't know where the cash actually went.
• I’m pretty sure I saw the same rock in three different locations.
• The dialogue is mostly just people repeating what someone else just said.

There’s a specific look in the eyes of the extras when they’re standing around looking "angry" that just cracks me up. It’s like they were told, "Look upset, but don't actually do anything." It feels a lot less polished than The Bar Cross War, but that’s kind of why it’s fun. It doesn't pretend to be important.

I wouldn't call this a "hidden gem" or anything. It’s a scratchy, forgotten thing that exists in the weird corner of cinema history where guys like Yakima Canutt show up to do stunts and move the plot along. 🤠 If you're bored on a Tuesday, it’ll do. Just don't go in expecting a masterpiece.