The Dakota Kid (1951) Poster

User Reviews

Review this title
3 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
4/10
A family masquerade
bkoganbing2 August 2013
The Dakota Kid was the second of four films where kids were the leading characters. Young Michael Chapin and his friend Eilene Janssen played a pair of adolescents who probably were the ideals of many front row kids, that is those that had not been lost to the small screen westerns.

The title role is played by Dann Morton who is an outlaw recruited by Robert Shayne and Roy Barcroft to take the place of the sheriff James Bell's nephew whose been sent for to help his uncle out. He's not seen him since he was a small child so the masquerade works. But Morton would like to really change, but he is a wanted outlaw.

Bell is also Chapin's grandfather as well as sheriff and Chapin and Janssen take a liking to Morton also.

Not just code parameters, but the fact that this film is marketed for the kids make it impossible for these outlaws to do certain things. Nevertheless both Shayne and Barcroft packed enough menace into their performances.

The Code also hampers the film overall. Still it's not a bad kid's feature if you can get used to adolescent Chapin packing heat.
3 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
5/10
Less of the kids in this entry makes it less interesting.
mark.waltz2 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This was the last of the four films of the brief Republic pictures series starring Michael Chapin and Eilene Janssen that I had to see, the second entry, and for me, the most disappointing. I liked the idea of pre-teens being the focus rather than a singing cowboy or some real life outlaw fictionalized to become a hero. Chapin and Jamssen are important to the story, but it mainly focuses on the titled outlaw (Danny Morton) involved in a scheme to take the place of a deputy sent for by his sheriff uncle, but thanks to the kids, the outlaw decides that he wants to reform.

This is interesting for the presence of Margaret Field, mother of Sally, in the role of the ingenue. Janssen gets to sing a little ditty while strumming a Banjo, a somewhat cringy moment that is easily fast-forwardable. James Bell, Roy Barcroft and Robert Shayne fill out other major parts, Bell a good guy involved with Field and the other two villains. It looses its uniqueness when Chapin and Janssen are off and becomes like every other programmer set in the old west. Chapin and Janssen do get along in this better than the other ones, with Chapin not wanting to get rid of her like he did in other films.
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Phenomenal
robertcla18 November 2019
The Dakota Kid is a outstanding film. The film is basically showing a copy of Roy and Dale but kid versions. I think it's a film that would be enjoyable for all ages but is more intended for younger audiences. The plot is pretty basic. Outlaws. And there are underrated actors in it. But overall, love it.

Well done to the actors, especially Eilene and Michael.
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed