A very young John Wayne stars in this rip-roaring Western, which incorporates an interesting plot along with lots of action˳ Wayne plays Ted Hayden, a man who was left half-dead years before with a bullet in his lung˳ But a man named Dusty Rhodes (played by character actor George “Gabby” Hayes) came across his path and saved him˳ He nursed Ted back to health over a two-year period˳ Ted lost his father to the same outlaw and was separated from his young brother˳ Now, he learns that a crook named Gat Ganns has been hired by a man named Gentry to help him rustle cattle and to get his paws on his neighbor’s cattle and ranch˳ Old man Winters (Lafe McKay) and his daughter Fay (Virginia Brown Faire) own the ranch˳ Gentry not only wants the ranch, but Fay too˳
Interestingly enough, Ted resembles Gat Ganns and plans to go undercover to learn more about the plot˳ He also plans to learn more about his father’s death and what happened to his brother˳ Gentry doesn’t want Fay harmed but will gladly kill her father if it gets him the ranch˳
When Ted and Dusty arrive at Gentry’s, Gentry thinks Ted is Gat Ganns and hires him˳ Ted saves a young boy named Spud (Billy O’Brien) from a runaway horse and wagon˳ When Ted sees how a ranch hand named Butch treats his stepson, which includes taking a whip to the boy, Ted steps in and teaches the cruel Butch a lesson he won’t soon forget˳ Spud takes an instant liking to Ted, and they form a bond˳ Interestingly enough, a startling revelation comes out regarding the boy by the movie’s conclusion˳
Ted and Dusty also find Fay in a barn, wounded from a bullet wound when two of Gentry’s men fought on the ground and the gun fired˳ They take her to the doctor who treats her and tells her she will be fine˳ The doctor phones her father to tell her she will be okay˳
Ted eventually reveals to old man Winters who he is, and how Gentry is plotting to take his ranch˳ They work together and Ted convinces Gentry a short while later that the old man has been killed by Ted˳ Gentry falls for it˳ Gentry also becomes jealous when he senses an interest in one another between Ted and Fay˳ Without spoiling the ending, let’s just say that Ted and Gentry have one long fight, with it going back and forth as to who is winning˳ And Ted learns the answers to all of his questions˳ A funny ending involves Spud and Ted and Fay˳ There’s a lot of scenic moments and plenty of horses giving chase in the film˳
There is some gunfire and a vigorous fist fight in the movie, with a character seen with blood on his mouth˳ And there are a few very brief instances of a character smoking a cigarette˳ However, none of the scenes are over the top and we are awarding the film our Dove seal for All Ages˳ It’s a good story about defending those who can’t defend themselves˳
The Dove Take
Watch Ted (and John Wayne) come into their own in this family-friendly film which has just about something for every family member to enjoy˳
