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5.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Texas Cyclone remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a soft spot for 1930s B-westerns where the plot moves faster than the horses, you might get a kick out of Texas Cyclone. If you need logic or character depth, just stay away. It’s for the folks who want to see John Wayne in his early days before he became, well, John Wayne.
The whole premise is just absurd. A guy rides into town and suddenly everyone is acting like he’s a ghost come back to life. It's the kind of misunderstanding that would be cleared up in ten seconds if people actually listened to each other, but then we wouldn't have a movie, right?
I found myself zoning out during the long rides across the desert. Then, suddenly, someone is drawing a gun over a card game and I’m back in it. The pacing feels like it was edited by someone who was running out of film stock. 🎬
There’s a scene where the wife—who is totally convinced he's her husband—looks at him with this intense expression that felt way too heavy for such a breezy flick. It’s weird. I think I liked it better when they were just shooting at things.
It’s not as polished as Across to Singapore, which had a bit more budget to hide the cracks. Here, the cracks are wide open and you can see right through to the stagehands. That’s part of the charm, I guess? Or maybe it’s just lazy.
John Wayne is fine here. He doesn't have that iconic walk yet. He’s just a guy in a hat trying to remember his lines. It’s a bit like watching Life—you can tell he’s still figuring out how to be the guy on screen.
The movie ends abruptly. Like, boom, credits. It feels like the director just got tired of the set and went to lunch. Don't look for a grand conclusion, because it’s definitely not coming. It’s just a thin slice of western history that’s mostly fluff. 🤠