Western Courage: Horses, fire, and some very questionable decision-making

Is it worth your time?

If you're into dusty, no-nonsense westerns where the plot happens in the blink of an eye, you'll probably have a good time here. It isn't trying to be The Bride of Glomdal or anything fancy. Just stick to it if you like hats, horses, and bad guys who never seem to get tired of monologuing.

If you need your movies to have, you know, logic, you should probably skip this. Nobody acts like a real person, but that’s kind of the charm.

The kidnapping merry-go-round

The whole thing kicks off with this guy Eric trying to snatch some cash. Then Ken grabs the daughter, Gloria, to stop the marriage. It’s like a game of musical chairs but with more hostage-taking. Honestly, I had to double-check who had who by the halfway mark.

The moment Ken gets left in that burning shack, you just know he’s going to get out. It’s not even a question. But the way he struggles while the fire starts is so dramatic it’s almost funny. It felt like watching someone try to do a complex knot while the set crew stood right behind them, probably holding a bucket of water.

Odd little details

• The horses look more bored than the actors.
• I swear the same cactus appears in the background of three different states.
• The outlaw Lacrosse is wearing a hat that looks two sizes too big, which is a choice.

There’s a scene where everything just stops so we can watch some riding. It’s clearly there to fill time, and you can feel the movie dragging its feet. It’s a bit like watching Lighting Bill, where the pacing just hits a wall because the budget ran out of things to explode.

Honestly, watching Ken Maynard move around, you get the sense he’s the only one who knows where the camera is. Everyone else is just kind of wandering through the frame hoping for the best. It’s not a masterpiece, but it doesn't try to be. It just exists, and for an afternoon, that’s plenty.

The shack fire scene goes on for about 30 seconds longer than it needs to, and the smoke looks suspiciously like it came from a cheap cigar.

If you’re looking for a serious study on human greed, go watch The Acquittal instead. But if you want to see a guy get tied up and left for dead in a wooden box while the sun beats down, this is your movie. 🤠