Western Trails (DVD)

Rambling cowpoke Bob Mason returns to his hometown after a ten-year absence to find that his father has just been shot dead during a stagecoach robbery. Badly wounded while pursuing the fleeing outlaws, Bob is nursed back to health by pretty Alice Gordon. When he discovers that Alice's brother Rudd murdered his father, Bob is torn between bringing the killer to justice and losing the girl he has come to love.

Bob Baker, Universal's entry in the singing cowboy sweepstakes, had not yet established a fan base when the studio hedged its bets by cutting the budgets for his pictures. Newly minted director George Waggner, working closely with co-writer Norton S. Parker, held expenditures to a minimum by having the entire story take place outdoors, saving the costs associated with set construction, interior lighting, and studio overhead. His handling of an unusually strong script - rich in characterization and dramatic situations - made Western Trails a success and helped bolster Baker's career. - Ed Hulse

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