Overland Bound Review: A 1929 Western with a really smart dog

If you have an hour to kill and like those dusty, old-school westerns where the plot relies on people being very easy to trick, then Overland Bound is worth a look. It’s mostly for people who enjoy the silent-to-talkie transition era or anyone who just wants to see a very good dog do some stunts. If you need a movie to make total sense or have fast pacing, you’ll probably hate this one.

The whole thing starts with a guy named Underwood trying to get his hands on the Winters' ranch. He knows a railroad is coming through, which is like the most common reason for a movie villain to do anything in 1929. He hires Keno Creager to pretend to be Jimmy, the son who hasn't been home in years.

Lydia Knott plays the mom, and she’s so sweet, but man, she is clueless. I know it’s been 'many years,' but you’d think a mother would notice if some random guy showed up claiming to be her kid. She just accepts him pretty much immediately. It’s one of those movie moments where you just have to shrug and go along with it.

Then we meet Lucky Lorimer, played by Leo Maloney. He’s a horse trader just drifting through. He’s got this easy-going vibe that makes the movie feel a lot lighter than it probably should.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Overland Bound (1929) through its definitive frames.

He meets Larry, a waiter in a saloon, who turns out to be the real Jimmy. Jack Perrin plays Larry, and he spends a lot of time looking slightly worried. I liked the saloon scenes because they felt strangely crowded. Boss Wheeler’s place is packed with extras who don't seem to have anything to do but stand there and look at the camera.

One reaction shot in the bar stays on a guy’s face for like five seconds too long. It’s just him blinking. It made me laugh because it felt like the director forgot to yell 'cut.'

Eventually, Lucky and Larry head to the ranch to fix things. This is where the movie gets better because the animals start doing more. Bullet the Dog is honestly the star here. There’s a bit where he’s just watching the humans and you can tell he’s the smartest being in the frame.

I also have to mention Starlight the Horse. There are a few shots of the horse just standing against the horizon that look better than any of the actual dialogue scenes. The framing is a bit wonky sometimes, but those horse shots are great.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Overland Bound (1929) through its definitive frames.

The trick they use to catch the fake Jimmy is actually pretty clever. Lucky fakes a murder charge against the real Jimmy to see if the fake one will take the bait. It’s a bit convoluted, but it works. It’s way more thought than I expected from a movie called Overland Bound.

The villain, Underwood, is played by Charles K. French. He has this very specific way of leaning against walls that screams 'I am the bad guy.' He doesn’t have much to do other than look greedy, but he does it well.

It reminded me a little bit of Red Hot Leather in how it handles the ranch drama, but maybe a bit slower. Or even The Kentuckians if you’re looking for that old-world family honor vibe.

There is a scene where Allene Ray (playing Mary) is talking to the fake Jimmy, and the lighting is just... gone. It’s so dark you can barely see her expression. I think they were trying to make it look like evening, but it just looks like they forgot to turn on the lamps.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Overland Bound (1929) through its definitive frames.

The ending happens really fast. Once the fake Jimmy is exposed, everything wraps up in about two minutes. No big long speeches, just 'yep, he’s a liar' and then it’s over. I kind of appreciate that. It doesn't overstay its welcome.

Is it a masterpiece? No. But it’s got a heart to it. And again, Bullet the Dog is a very good boy. Watching him run around the ranch was the highlight for me.

If you’ve seen The Show, you might find this a bit thin on character depth. But for a Sunday afternoon when you want something simple, it’s fine. It’s just a nice, dusty little story about a guy and his dog saving his mom's house.

Wait, did I mention the horse stunts? There’s one jump that looks a bit dangerous for the 1920s. I hope Starlight got a big bag of carrots after that.

Anyway, it’s a decent watch if you don't mind the old-timey logic gaps. Just don't expect it to change your life.