The Cherokee Strip: A Dusty Relic or Just Another Western?

Is this worth the time?

If you love the smell of black-and-white film stock and horses kicking up dust, sure. If you aren't already into 1930s B-movies, you might find this one a bit of a slog. It’s got that specific, clipped way of talking that makes everyone sound like they’re reading lines off a chalkboard. Still, there’s a certain charm to how simple it all is.

Ling Carter is the kind of villain who probably twirls his mustache even when nobody is looking. He sneaks into the territory early, stakes his claim, and suddenly he owns the town of Big Rock. It feels a bit like watching a game of Monopoly where one player just decides to ignore the rules while everyone else complains.

Dick Hudson is the guy trying to play by the book. It’s funny, because in these movies, the lawyer is always the hero, which is a weird flex for Hollywood. He’s played by Dick Foran, who does that stoic, chin-tilted look throughout the whole thing. He’s not exactly bringing nuance, but he fits the frame.

Oddly specific things I noticed:

• The horses look way more bored than the actors.
• There is a scene where a guy gets knocked out, and he falls so carefully it looks like he’s trying not to wrinkle his shirt.
• The town of Big Rock has maybe four buildings, but they keep calling it a bustling hub.
• The sound of the stagecoach wheels on the dirt track is louder than the dialogue sometimes.

The pacing is… well, it moves. It doesn’t stop to think, that's for sure. It’s not as sharp as Barbara Frietchie, which had a bit more weight to its drama. Here, everything is just very "cowboy does this, villain does that."

There’s a moment near the middle where they start talking about rustling, and the movie suddenly finds its feet for about ten minutes. Then it goes right back to people standing around in wide-brimmed hats, looking tough. It’s weird how much space they give to just watching guys walk from one shack to another. 🤠

I caught myself wondering if the extras were actually paid or just wandering off the set of Slippery Silks to see if there was free lunch. Some of them look like they’ve never seen a horse in their entire lives. You can see one guy in the background of the town square just counting his fingers while a shootout is supposed to be happening.

It’s not a masterpiece, and it doesn’t try to be. If you’ve seen one of these, you’ve basically seen them all, but there’s something nice about the consistency. It’s like eating a sandwich you’ve had a hundred times. You know exactly what’s in it, and sometimes that’s all you want. 🐎