Lawless Range: John Wayne in a hurry

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school B-westerns where the plot moves like it's being chased by a pack of wolves, yeah, check this out. It’s perfect for a rainy afternoon when you want something that doesn't ask much of you. If you need complex character arcs or, you know, high-budget production, you’re gonna hate it. It’s definitely not The Country Doctor, that's for sure.

John Wayne is in it. Obviously. He’s got that young, slightly awkward energy before he became The Duke everyone knows. He plays John Middleton, a guy who spends most of the movie looking annoyed at bankers.

The cave escape scene is the highlight. It feels like they just found a hole in the ground and decided, 'yep, let’s film here.' The way they climb out is just… well, it’s not realistic. But it’s fun. It reminded me a bit of the frantic pacing in Saving a Safe, just with more dust and horses.

The Banker Problem

The bad guy is a banker. Of course he is. He’s hoarding gold mines under the guise of rustling cows. The movie doesn’t spend any time trying to make him a complicated villain. He’s just evil because he needs to be. It’s refreshing, honestly.

• The horses look like they’re doing more acting than the sidekicks.
• The dialogue is basically just instructions on where to stand or who to shoot.
• There's a moment near the middle where the film just stops for a music number. It felt like they forgot they were making an action movie for a second.

The whole thing feels a bit like a sketch for a better movie, but that’s the charm. It’s got that rushed feeling where the actors are probably just trying to make it to lunch. You can almost see the director checking his watch in the background of the wide shots. 🤠

It’s not a masterpiece. It doesn’t try to be. It’s just a guy, a cave, some gold, and a lot of riding across the same three hills. Sometimes, that’s plenty.