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5.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Man from Utah remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Okay, The Man from Utah. If you’re a big John Wayne fan, especially his really early stuff, this is a definite yes. For anyone else? Maybe a rainy Sunday afternoon curiosity. You’ll probably hate it if you need complex plots or modern pacing; it’s more of a snapshot, really. 🤠
The plot, what there is of it, follows John Weston, played by Wayne. He’s a rodeo cowboy who rides into a town where some shady characters want to fix the big contest. Of course, Weston isn't having any of that.
It's clear from the start the bad guys are *bad*. They don't really hide it. Their big plan? A poisoned needle slipped under Weston's saddle. Honestly, it's a wonderfully outlandish plot device, even for the era.
Wayne, even this early, has that screen presence. He’s still finding his footing, but he rides a horse like he was born on one. The rodeo scenes, while obviously constrained by budget, have a certain raw energy.
You see a lot of familiar faces if you watch these old westerns. George 'Gabby' Hayes pops up, doing his usual gruff, good-hearted thing. He always adds a nice bit of character, even if it's just for a few minutes.
The film's pacing is... well, it’s 1934. Things happen, then there's a bit of talking, then more things happen. The action sequences are pretty basic, mostly a lot of horse chasing across dusty landscapes.
One chase scene really stood out. There’s a moment where Wayne’s character leaps from one horse to another mid-gallop. It’s quick, a little blurry, but you can tell *someone* pulled it off. Pretty impressive stunt work for the time. It’s easy to miss if you blink.
The whole "fix the rodeo" plot feels like just an excuse to get Wayne on a horse and into a few fistfights. And that's fine, honestly. That's what these movies were *for*.
There's this one shot of a bar fight where a chair just *explodes* over someone's head. It's so obviously balsa wood, but the commitment from the stunt performer makes it kinda fun. 😄 You gotta appreciate the effort.
The dialogue is exactly what you'd expect. Good guys talk straight, bad guys sneer a lot. There aren't any big emotional revelations here. It's all very black and white.
It's short, clocking in at under an hour. So it doesn't overstay its welcome. You can breeze through it, maybe while doing something else. It's more of a historical artifact than a gripping narrative.
So, if you want to see a young Duke, before he was *the* Duke, throwing punches and riding horses, this is it. It’s got that simple charm of a bygone era. *Don't expect too much, and you might actually enjoy its dusty sincerity.*
Did I mention the poisoned needle? Because it’s kinda central to the whole thing. And it’s just so wonderfully absurd. They could have just had the bad guys trip his horse. But no, *poison*.
IMDb 5.3
1930
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