User Reviews

Young Asa Knox is taken away from his surviving family by an outlaw after his father is killed. Mrs. Knox heads back to St. Joseph, Missouri with her other son Clint. The Knox family's original destination was California during the glory days of the Gold Rush, so for the math to work, the Knox boys would have just been hitting their twenties when we rejoin them in St. Joe of 1860. Instead, Hoot Gibson, portraying Clint, looks every bit of forty four, his real age at the time of the film. Ace Carter (Rex Lease), who grew up an outlaw himself, looks at least ten to fifteen years younger. So much for that casting decision.

Back in 1936, I imagine every Western made found itself exploring what was probably a new theme at the time. I haven't run across many 'B' Westerns where the Pony Express plays a role, so seeing how it was used here looked fairly original. The man in charge of the service is named Christman (Earl Dwire), and he explains that the Express will utilize one hundred ninety relay stations, and employ eighty men and five hundred horses for trips between St. Joe and Sacramento. His goal is to make the trip in ten days, a rather impressive feat it seems, even without complications.

Clint is initially turned down by Christman for a job as a Pony Express rider, citing his need to be around to help his mother and fiancée. You'll have to pay attention to Mom Knox's speech encouraging her son's employment as if the future of the country depended on it. It's almost as eloquent as the Gettysburg Address, which by the way wouldn't exist for another four or five years.

The film plods along at times, and does manage to use some of the standard clichés of the genre, most notably when Ace uses the old rope across the trail trick to knock Clint off his horse. Modern day viewers who haven't grown up with these oaters will probably be shocked to learn that holding up a stagecoach could get you death by hanging, even if the guy you shot was only wounded. Fortunately, Ace's holdup victims all had their backs to him, and Mom isn't talking. Hoot Gibson's character explains how fate might have dealt a different hand if back when they were kids it was Clint who was kidnapped instead of Ace. The judge was OK with that, so no necktie party.

The film was directed by Harry Fraser, who during the mid 1930's also did the same for a couple of John Wayne's Lone Star Westerns - "Neath The Arizona Skies" and "Randy Rides Alone", both from 1934. Catch those films for some interesting techniques, notably flash forward sequences used to pace riders on horseback along to their destination; it wasn't used in 'Cavalcade'. At least the hero getting the girl remains a staple here, but then again there was never any doubt. Hoot Gibson got to kiss his girl way back in the middle of the story, how novel was that!

This film seems to have pretensions to be a 'historical' western, about the "greatest Migration in History," the westward movement after the discovery of gold in California; the beginnings of the Pony Express, and even news events of 1860 (although shown in superimposed titles over a Pony Express rider). Even the main title is a book cover, which opens to cast and production credits on separately turned pages. But these themes are more superficial than central.

The focus is really a redemptive Cain and Abel story with the young, handsome, but super bad Rex Lease (as Asa, "Ace" Carter) and his good, Bible carrying older brother, the alternately goofy looking / homely Hoot Gibson (as Clint Knox).

It seems like every year there was a movie about a lone family crossing the country in a covered wagon being ambushed by 'renegades,' usually with one or both parents being killed, and the two young children being separated, one going off to grow up to be an evil or revengeful outlaw.

'Rawhide Terror' (1934) an aborted serial converted to a different and confused feature had the older son seek revenge; 'Branded as a Coward' (1935), with a remake, 'Fast on the Draw' (1950), had Johnny Mack Brown become a shaking, frozen coward in dangerous situations, later finding his evil twin only at the end of the movie; and now in 1936 this one, in which the focus is squarely on the developing relationships among the two sons and also their widowed mother, played by Nina Guilbert, who has a strong matriarchal role in the film.

While the rather ancient looking Hoot Gibson had the kind of face that better belonged in the 'Our Gang' shorts as an adult doofus, he does a creditable and sincere job, especially in the scenes after he captures Ace, who had clearly wanted to get back at Clint by stopping him from completing his Pony Express route, and by robbing the stagecoach on which his fiancée was riding. When Ace shoots him dead on, the bullet is stopped by a Bible Clint carries in his shirt pocket, (Ace: "It saved your life!" Clint: "It's saved many lives...").

The film really picks up at this point. The mother's early scene with her boys where they all recite their 'personal prayer' ending with '...until I see His face' is recalled as Ace, on his knees, suddenly remembers and recites the last five words to Clint, who now realizing this is his brother, then attempts to redeem him (although we don't fully realize this until the last scene).

A note about Nina Guilbert. Playing a strong character, she gives an eloquent and stirring speech about the westward movement and the Pony Express to Earl Dwire, who replies, "The son of such a mother won't fail the Pony Express!" Her scene in the cabin talking with Ace, who faces a quick hanging for his crimes, in which she holds his head with her hands and kisses him on the forehead is a moving high point of the film. She treats him with love and forgiveness, even before she discovers he is her son. It redeems not only the movie, but as we see at the end, Asa as well.

The trial being held outdoors, there's a great shot of a hanging noose (not a halo) over Asa's head, as he tries to lie his way out of it. Due to a lack of evidence, Ace appears to be free, and the townspeople suddenly decide Clint was the 'road agent' (an old slang term for 'stagecoach robber,' replacing 'highwayman'), because the robber was riding a Pinto horse (Clint's Pony Express horse, that Ace had switched to when he robbed the stage). Quickly, pushing the crowd back, Asa faces the judge and admits his guilt in detail to save Clint.

As the crowd is about to hang Asa, Clint stops them with drawn six guns declaring that he should be forgiven for his crimes. He tells them how because he was captured by outlaws and made an outlaw, that's why he can't tell the difference between right and wrong, and that if things had been different it might have been me in his place. This well stated plea for tolerance and forgiveness seems not only rare in films of the 30s-50s, but is also something we should remember every day when we read, watch or listen to the day's news. How much should we be more understanding of all others as our sons and brothers.

Asa is redeemed as a person, with a job offer to rebuild his life, and receiving a joyful hug from his mother, we see and hear, "Here comes the Pony Express!" Life goes on, as we should forgive those who pass before us.

Harry Fraser's direction really works not only in the final scenes, but also throughout the movie. Everyone does a good job, even the barely tolerable comic relief. Earl Dwire has now gracefully transitioned into the Elderly Leading Citizen role. (We'll forget that Fraser may be better known for his infamous 1951 stinkers 'The White Gorilla' and 'Chained for Life').

Rex Lease, often the hero as in the serials 'Custer's Last Stand' (1936) and 'The Clutching Hand' (1936) looks like Joaquin Phoenix's brother or Gary Sinise and does a great job. He's really the central figure in the film. Although the Good Brother / Bad Brother conflict can be seen in literally dozens of westerns, 'Cavalcade of the West' is clearly one of the best of this type, and a good "B" film. A well done film with a message. (The only real weak point: the intrusive music track which barely fits the action.) I give the movie a 5.

The film begins with a scene with a dentist that really made no sense and didn't seem at all necessary. Soon after, you see the wagon of settlers continue on their trip west to California during the time of the Gold Rush. The group is attacked by bandits and the two young brothers are separated. Years pass and one is an upstanding citizen who gets a job with the Pony Express (Hoot Gibson) and the other tries to get a job but cannot provide references and is refused. This is not surprising, as the guy (Rex Lease) dresses in black and EVERYONE knows that means he's bad. He also is the long-lost brother from the beginning of the picture. Eventually, this black-clad guy shows that he is indeed a baddie and he you see him holding up stage coaches. So, it's up to our hero to track him down and bring him to justice. But, when the baddie is caught, Hoot recognizes him as his long-lost brother. This leads to a LOT of sentimentality and schmaltziness--climaxing in his meeting up with his mother and her having to testify against him in court. What follows next is one of the sillier and less believable scenes in western history as the judge hears their story of losing the boy only to rediscover him--and lets the guy go--even though he admitted to robberies and shooting a guy! Now that's realistic (just not on this planet).

All in all, I liked the first part of the film (even though I have seen a plot like this before) but the second part was just silly. Overall, it's watchable but not much more. By the way, this is the first Hoot Gibson film I've watched and I'd love to see some of his early films (which were silents), as this later version of Hoot was pretty dull. Perhaps he was better back in the old days.

FYI--The famed Pony Express that is talked about in this film and quite a few others actually only operated for a little over a year before being replaced by telegraph lines.

"Cavalcade Of The West" was originally released back in 1936.

Anyway - As the story goes - A pony express rider is robbed by a bandit who is actually his long-lost brother, taken by the outlaw gang who killed their father. The pony express rider is shot by his bandit brother, but is saved by a pocket book stopping the bullet.

By 1936 the market was saturated with Westerns and Hoot Gibson found he had stiff competition from up and comers Rex Bell, Charles Starrett and John Wayne. "Cavalcade of the West" was one of the last Westerns Hoot made before he teamed up with a circus and his riding and stunts made him the star attraction.

Not a huge amount of action, the movie was more plot driven and told the story of two young brothers whose wagon train was ambushed by a gang of desperadoes. Unknown to the rest of his family, young Asa is kidnapped by the gang so by the time he makes his next appearance, twenty years later, it is as surly Rex Lease, dressed in black and eager to volunteer for the most dangerous route of the newly formed Pony Express. Quick with his guns, he is definitely making a bad impression in the town where his brother Clint Knox (Gibson) is the golden boy. Of course Clint gets that route but in the course of being held up by Asa, he realises that "Ace" is the brother who mysteriously disappeared long ago.

This proved to be Marion Shilling's last movie. Although initially promoted by MGM as an up and coming ingénue in "Lord Byron of Broadway" (1930) which proved to be the flop of the year, it was in Westerns that she is remembered. Initially awkward near horses, Buck Jones coached her until she was confident.

The somewhat pretentious title actually tells the story of two brothers, separated by raiders who storm a covered wagon, kill the boys' father and carry off the younger brother. Brought up as an outlaw, this brother soon makes a name for himself as a fast-on-the-trigger gunman. Looking for more legitimate excitement, he tries to join the newly established Pony Express, but is turned down. The older brother, meantime… I suppose you could write a book detailing all the movies in which this standard plot has been used. And for most of its length, this account comes across pretty much as you would expect from a Poverty Row tale. Production values are rough and ready; the direction, although competent enough, exhibits little, if any, flair or style; the sets are bone dry; the camera-work has nothing aside from good focus to offer; the heroine is colorless, the comic relief tedious, while our amiable hero, Hoot Gibson, seems content to get by on his likable personality. Only Rex Lease, stepping out of his usual first-lead mold as the villain here, brings a welcome touch of charisma to his role.

Suddenly, about three-quarters of the way through, all this changes. And I can pinpoint the exact moment when it all happens. It's one of the great moments in the whole history of the cinema. Rex is being questioned by Nina Guilbert when she suddenly realizes that the killer is her own son. Her cry of anguish and horror is so realistic that no further words need to be said. (Nina Guilbert made only ten movies, starting with One Year Later in 1933 and ending up with an uncredited bit as a guest in The Magnificent Ambersons in 1942).

Screenwriter Norman Houston went on to script no less than twenty Tim Holt entries for RKO between 1947 and 1952. These more sophisticated westerns are also characterized by his well-constructed but rather leisurely pace which builds into a fine climax.

Two brothers, completely different in personality, are separated from each other thanks to bandits kidnapping one after leaving the other with his mother, having killed their father. Years go by, and the more decent one, is fighting on the right side of the law (protecting the Pony Express) while the other one (having been shown in dark clothes from the very beginning), has obviously taken on the traits of his kidnappers, and become the bad guy. Their reunion is bittersweet as the conflict between them creates only one solution.

Pretty decent B western immediately sets up its conflict, with Hoot Gibson obviously good and Rex Lease handsome but bad. The scene where Lease robs the Pony Express with his mother (Nita Guilbert) aboard is pretty intense as he has a glimpse of recognition in his eyes and is unsure why. Adam Goodman recurs throughout the film as a rather shady salesman who also doubles as a dentist, shown with the young version of Lease's character having a gun in him as he pulls out the wrong tooth of his calmer, more well behaved brother. Marian Schilling is the romantic leading lady who also fits in the conflicts between the two brothers. In a sense, this western is a classic example of Greek tragedy done in a more modern setting, and that sets its above other westerns of similar nature which didn't go much past standard themes often seen in westerns.