Texas (1941)

It's 1866, Abilene, Kansas and we are in the company of Dan Thomas {William Holden} and Tod Ramsey {Glen Ford}, two pals who served in the Confederacy together. They want to get to Texas to earn their living but have no cash ready to hand. But a lifeline is thrown by way of a stagecoach robbery they witness as they decide to relieve the robbers of their ill gotten gains. This puts the friends in serious peril so they agree to split up and head in different directions. Finally meeting up some time down the line in town, both men are operating from different social standings. And both men have fallen for the same gal, Mike King {Claire Trevor}. So along with the arrival in town of shady railroad magnate Windy Miller {George Bancroft} and the crooked dealings of dentist Buford Ford {Edgar Buchanan} starting to influence matters; the boys will do well to come out of it all still as friends.

Texas is directed by George Marshall {with Norman Deming assisting} and the three writing credits go to Michael Blankfort, Lewis Meltzer & Horace McCoy. It's a briskly paced black & white action Western that's not short on laughs either. In Holden and Ford it showcases two Hollywood big hitters in their fresh faced early days, with Holden pretty much unrecognisable. From a quite hilarious pugilist rules boxing match in the first quarter, to the number of machismo exchanges that drop in from time time, it's one of those film's that's hard to criticise. So I'm not going too. A small bother comes with the ending being rushed a touch, but even that is in keeping with how Marshall has directed it. So really it's a hearty recommend to anyone after some early 40s Oater enjoyment. Undemanding for sure, but executed with gusto and no little amount of class. 6.5/10

Columbia Pictures presents "TEXAS" (1941) (93 min/B&W) -- Starring: William Holden, Glenn Ford, Claire Trevor, George Bancroft & Edgar Buchanan

Directed by George Marshall

Dan Thomas (William Holden) and Tod Ramsey (Glenn Ford) are ex-Confederate soldiers who get into trouble in a wide-open Texas town. The two split up, whereupon Tod takes a job on Dusty King's ranch; by and by, he falls in love with Dusty's daughter `Mike' (Claire Trevor). Meanwhile, Dan has joined a gang of rustlers headed by town dentist Buford 'Doc' Thorpe (Edgar Buchanan). Dan & Tod confront each other when the former tries to steal the cattle that Tod is driving to Abilene. Complicating matters is the fact that Dan, too, carries a torch for `Mike'. Though Packed with action and suspense and at the helm is slapstick comedy veteran George Marshall!

Columbia Pictures' sort-of-follow-up to Arizona (1940) which also starred William Holden.

Special footnote: -- As was often the case during his career, Holden shaved his chest before appearing, shirtless, in this movie's prizefighting sequence.

BIOS:
1. George Marshall (Director)
Date of Birth: 29 December 1891 - Chicago, Illinois
Date of Death: 17 February 1975 - Los Angeles, California

2. William Holden [aka: William Franklin Beedle Jr.]
Date of Birth: 17 April 1918 - O'Fallon, Illinois
Date of Death: 16 November 1981 - Santa Monica, California

3. Glenn Ford (aka: Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford)
Date of Birth: 1 May 1916 - Sainte-Christine, Quebec, Canada
Date of Death: 30 August 2006 - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California

4. Claire Trevor (aka: Claire Wemlinger)
Date of Birth: 8 March 1910 - New York, New York
Date of Death: 8 April 2000 - Newport Beach, California

5. George Bancroft
Date of Birth: 30 September 1882 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date of Death: 2 October 1956 - Santa Monica, California

6. Edgar Buchanan
Date of Birth: 20 March 1903 - Humansville, Missouri
Date of Death: 4 April 1979 - Palm Desert, California

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 4 Stars
Performance: 4 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 93 min on DVD ~ Columbia Pictures ~ (April 5, 2005)

Here we see youthful Glenn Ford and William Holden, absolutely adorable and quite different from their mature image. A very exciting, fast moving story evoking life in old Texas and the wildness and joy of youth. Super photography and action sequences, showing off their riding skills etc.