Trails End is a dusty relic that barely holds it together

Is this worth a watch?

Honestly, only if you have a massive soft spot for old-school B-Westerns that don't care about making much sense. If you like your heroes grumpy and your villains cartoonishly evil, you might find a bit of charm here. If you need pacing that doesn't feel like a horse trudging through molasses, stay away.

Conway Tearle plays Jim “Trigger” Malloy with this look on his face like he’s constantly smelling burnt toast. He’s supposed to be this legendary gunslinger, but he spends half the movie acting like he’s just waiting for his nap. It’s a strange performance, really. Not bad, just... distant.

The whole bit with his younger brother is over before you even blink. He hits the kid, sends him home, and boom, we’re back to the revenge plot. It’s funny how these old films just toss character motivation aside like an empty canteen.

The Horse is the Real MVP

Let's talk about Black King. That horse has more screen presence than half the supporting cast. Every time he’s on screen, the movie suddenly feels like it has a pulse again. Maybe it’s just me, but the horse seems to be the only one taking the acting seriously. 🐴

The town itself feels like it’s made of cardboard and dust. There’s a scene in the saloon that lasts forever. The extras are just standing around waiting for someone to yell 'action' or 'cut,' looking like they’d rather be literally anywhere else. It’s that kind of low-budget energy that reminds me of The Branded Sombrero, but with even less happening.

The Sheriff Twist

Malloy becoming the sheriff so he can rob the bank he’s supposed to guard? It’s a classic setup, but the movie rushes through it like it’s late for dinner. One minute he’s a criminal, the next he’s wearing a tin star and looking confused about it. The 'reformation' part of his arc happens so fast you’d think he hit his head on a saddle horn.

The daughter, Mary Jane, is basically there to look wide-eyed at everything. It’s a bit much. The whole thing starts to feel a bit like The Three Orphans in how it forces the 'good woman and child' angle to fix a man’s life. It’s a trope, sure, but it feels like a heavy-handed one here.

• The lighting in the express office is surprisingly moody for a movie this old.
• I swear the same background rock appears in three different 'desert' locations.
• The dialogue is mostly just people telling each other what they’re about to do.
• Wild Bill Holman is a villain who really needs a better tailor.

By the time they get to the final shootout, I had stopped keeping track of who was on whose side. It’s all just dust, gunfire, and quick cuts. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a weirdly cozy way to kill an hour if you don't ask too many questions. Definitely not for everyone, but there’s a certain weird magic in these old, broken things.