Grade: B
Synopsis: A cowboy (John Wayne) arrives in town, only to discover the rancher that hired him has been shot dead under questionable circumstances.
Tall in the Saddle is, essentially, a souped-up version of the westerns that star John Wayne had made for Lone Star Productions during much of the 1930’s. The plot is routine: stranger arrives in town, finds all is not well, runs afoul of the law, and thwarts bad guys with the help of Gabby Hayes. A proven formula that works well, but this time, with the deeper pockets of studio RKO, Wayne finally has a solid supporting cast and good production values backing him up.
Ella Raines actually registers opposite Wayne, and even holds her own, which is a significant upgrade from most of Wayne’s Lone Star leading ladies. Frequent Wayne costar Ward Bond does a great job playing the heavy, as he’s one of the few men that can match Wayne physically on screen, and finally, there’s Gabby Hayes, a wise holdover from the Lone Star productions, as Wayne’s character’s sidekick.
While the plot may be recycled, the script by Michael Hogan and Paul Fix is a marked upgrade in terms of dialog, with Wayne benefiting from some great one-liners. This, combined with the upgraded cast and good location photography make Tall in the Saddle an easy ride. While it may be nothing more than a well-produced serial, it’s damn fun regardless.
