Post by rmichaelpyle on Aug 3, 2010 13:30:48 GMT -6
I watched another silent western, "Ace of Cactus Range" (1924) with Art Mix - and, no, he's no relation to Tom Mix. I looked in the IMDb to see if anyone else had ever reviewed it. Only one, and I agree with the review so much that I'll post his because I couldn't add much:
Somewhat short on plot, but a lively Poverty Row western nonetheless!, 17 April 2010
Author: JohnHowardReid
"In addition to the "Feature Films" listed in Kodascope catalogs, were two or three pages of "Westerns". Many of these of course were 2-reelers. But there were some features among them, including movies like "Ace of Cactus Range" (1924), starring lanky, square-jawed Art Mix, in which a rather sparse story about determined but not over-bright diamond smugglers is enlivened by lots of lively on-location lensing. Heroine Virginia Warwick is a nice-looking girl, but the heavies led by Cliff Davidson (in his first of three films), Harvey Stafford (his only movie) and Dorothy Chase (her only movie) seem to have been selected at random from Central Casting. The 55-minute Grapevine print under review has suffered around 15 minutes of severe deterioration."
The only thing I'd comment on is the fact that the nitrate deterioration, coming about one-third of the way in, is indeed very bad. Still, the photography and the action are really first rate. Art Mix's skills on a horse are seemingly as good as Yakima Canutt's!! That's saying a lot. I've got to tell you, these early cowboys and their horse abilities are simply beyond belief. They must have nearly lived on them because their ability is far beyond what you see in modern westerns where the hero can barely find his way into a saddle hoof...
I've never seen an Art Mix western before, and I've still got one to go. I'm actually looking forward to it! He's a good early "B" cowboy, much better than, say, Lane Chandler or even Yakima Canutt, the latter of whom was probably the best stunt man of all time, but whose acting abilties are left in the dust by nearly anyone else!
Somewhat short on plot, but a lively Poverty Row western nonetheless!, 17 April 2010
Author: JohnHowardReid
"In addition to the "Feature Films" listed in Kodascope catalogs, were two or three pages of "Westerns". Many of these of course were 2-reelers. But there were some features among them, including movies like "Ace of Cactus Range" (1924), starring lanky, square-jawed Art Mix, in which a rather sparse story about determined but not over-bright diamond smugglers is enlivened by lots of lively on-location lensing. Heroine Virginia Warwick is a nice-looking girl, but the heavies led by Cliff Davidson (in his first of three films), Harvey Stafford (his only movie) and Dorothy Chase (her only movie) seem to have been selected at random from Central Casting. The 55-minute Grapevine print under review has suffered around 15 minutes of severe deterioration."
The only thing I'd comment on is the fact that the nitrate deterioration, coming about one-third of the way in, is indeed very bad. Still, the photography and the action are really first rate. Art Mix's skills on a horse are seemingly as good as Yakima Canutt's!! That's saying a lot. I've got to tell you, these early cowboys and their horse abilities are simply beyond belief. They must have nearly lived on them because their ability is far beyond what you see in modern westerns where the hero can barely find his way into a saddle hoof...
I've never seen an Art Mix western before, and I've still got one to go. I'm actually looking forward to it! He's a good early "B" cowboy, much better than, say, Lane Chandler or even Yakima Canutt, the latter of whom was probably the best stunt man of all time, but whose acting abilties are left in the dust by nearly anyone else!
