Stormy Trails: A dusty, confused little western

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for black-and-white westerns from the thirties, sure. Go for it. But if you need a tight script or acting that doesn't feel like everyone is reading off a piece of cardboard taped to the camera, you’ll probably find this one pretty grating.

It’s not exactly The Man from Nowhere, that’s for sure.

The Setup

The whole thing kicks off with a bank robbery that feels like it was filmed in about ten minutes. Our guy is a rancher, just minding his business, until he drops a bandit. Then the movie decides to get weirdly specific about legal drama.

Turns out the guy he shot was an old ranch hand who was already suing him. Because of course he was. The town sheriff doesn't take five minutes to investigate before tossing the poor guy in a cell. Classic.

Odd Little Moments

• There is a horse in this movie—Sheik—that honestly gives a better performance than half the supporting cast.
• The bank robbery scene has this strange, quiet energy where nobody seems to be actually running.
• Someone is constantly adjusting their hat. I counted four times in one scene.

The pacing is all over the place. One minute we’re in the middle of a dusty shoot-out, and the next we’re sitting through a trial that feels like it lasts for three years. It’s almost impressive how much they slowed down the momentum.

I kept thinking about The Craving while watching this, mainly because both films feel like they were made with a very specific, limited set of props and a whole lot of optimism. There’s a raw, scrappy feel here that I kinda admire, even if the movie is a bit of a mess.

Final thoughts

Don't look for logic. It isn't here. Just enjoy the way the spurs clink and the way the shadows look against the barn wood. It’s not great, but it’s definitely a movie that happened. 🤠