The Four-Footed Ranger Review: The Dog is the Real Star

If you like dogs doing cool stunts and old-fashioned cowboy stuff, this is a fun way to spend an hour. It is a 1928 silent movie, so if you hate reading title cards or black-and-white grain, you will probably be bored out of your mind. 🤠

But for anyone else, it is a weirdly charming little relic. The main guy is Jack Dunne, played by Francis Ford, but let’s be honest here. Nobody is watching this for Francis.

We are all here for Dynamite the Dog. He is the kind of dog that makes you feel bad about your own pet because he can actually follow directions.

The story is about cattle rustling. It is always cattle rustling in these things, isn't it? Just like in Sundown, people are very worried about their cows.

Jack is a ranger who gets called in to solve the mystery. But mostly he just stands around while Dynamite finds the clues. There is a scene where the dog is scouting ahead and he looks back at the camera with this very serious face. 🐕

I swear that dog has more range than some of the human actors. The villains are pretty standard for the 20s. They have big hats and look very grumpy all the time.

One of the bad guys has a mustache that looks like it was glued on five minutes before the cameras started rolling. It actually wiggles a bit when he gets angry. It’s hard to take the threat seriously when you are waiting for his facial hair to fall off.

The action is actually pretty decent for how old it is. There is a lot of dust. So much dust that sometimes you can barely see the horses.

It reminds me a little bit of the vibe in The Gasoline Buckaroo, though maybe not as weird. This one feels more like a standard Saturday afternoon show.

There is this one moment where Jack is trying to be romantic with Marjorie Bonner’s character. It feels awkward. They just stare at each other for a long time and then the scene cuts away.

I think the director realized the audience wanted to get back to the dog. Smart move, honestly.

Speaking of the dog, there is a chase scene through some rocky hills. Dynamite is jumping over boulders like it is nothing. You can tell the stunt performers were probably tired trying to keep up with him.

The movie is quite short, which is a blessing. It doesn't try to be a masterpiece or anything deep. It just wants to show you a guy and his dog catching bad guys.

I noticed that some of the cattle in the background look incredibly bored. They are just chewing grass while people are literally shooting at each other nearby. One cow just stares directly into the lens for about three seconds.

It’s these little mistakes that make these old movies feel more real to me. They didn't have the budget to do fifty takes of a cow looking the other way.

If you have seen The Perfect Clown, you know how these 1920s productions can be a bit hit or miss with the pacing. This one moves pretty fast once the rustling starts.

It isn't as high-stakes as The Despoiler, but it has a heart. It feels like it was made by people who really liked their horses and their dogs.

The ending is exactly what you think it will be. There are no big twists. Jack wins, the dog gets a pat on the head, and the bad guys go to jail.

I think the most interesting part is seeing how much they relied on the animals back then. There are no special effects here. If the dog jumps, it’s because the dog actually jumped.

It’s a bit rough around the edges. The film print I saw had some scratches and the lighting in the indoor scenes is pretty dark. You can barely see who is talking in the saloon.

But that adds to the charm, I guess. It feels like finding an old photo in your grandfather's attic.

Is it a great movie? Not really. Is it a good way to spend a rainy afternoon? Yeah, definitely.

If you enjoy seeing how Westerns started out, or if you just want to see a very good boy save the day, give it a look. Just don't expect anything mind-blowing.

It's just a simple story about a ranger and his best friend. And sometimes, that is all you really need from a movie. 🐾