West of the Divide

West of the Divide sees John Wayne impersonate a wanted man, join an outlaw gang, and find both his father’s killer and his long-lost kid brother.

It’s an unremarkable Lone Star production with a script teeming with improbable coincidences and copious amount of expository dialog. This proves evident from the very first scene, which sees Wayne inexplicably recounting the tragic events surrounding his father’s death to his long time buddy who’s clearly heard the story several times before.

The cast is a mixed bag. While John Wayne and Gabby Hayes are fine, Virginia Brown Faire is horrible as Wayne’s love interest, as she and Wayne have zero chemistry. At least Lloyd Whitlock is suitably smarmy as the head baddie.

The real problem here is the script, which has all the characteristics of a rush job. Writer/director Robert Bradbury strings together some great stunts with awkward expositionary dialog, a trend sent from the very first scene, in which Wayne is inexplicably recounting the tragic events surrounding his father’s death to his long time buddy who’s clearly heard the story several times before.

Fortunately, West of the Divide does include some of Yakima Cannutt’s trademark stunts, including a great runaway carriage scene and a dynamite leap by Wayne from a galloping horse through a window.