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Sorry, this movie sucks

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Blistering performances.

Bob Steele's father is murdered by WIlliam Quinn with a mysterious fuming poison. Quin also steals $60,000 in cash. Steele and sidekick John Elliott go looking for Quinn and a year later, wind up in Gladstone. There, Quinn (wearing a grotesque disguise) in cooperation with Forest Taylor have just murdered Peggy Campbell's father and stolen the mortgage money. When Bob spots her robbing the mail truck and then falling off her horse, he goes to get her some water, only to discover that she has stolen his his horse and he is thrown in jail for robbing the mail and the murder.It's not one of the better westerns that Steele's father, Robert Bradbury directed him in. Compared to the ones with George Hayes in the company, the line readings are pretty poor; Bob and his leading lady believe each other far too readily under the circumstances, even if it is a one-hour B western, and the action in the movie is limited to the last ten minutes. Although Steele does ride his horse down what looks to be a very steep mountainside at speed, I strongly suspect it was achieved by cameraman William Hyer adjusting the camera tripod and having Steele ride his horse over flat ground.In fact, the most interesting part of the movie is at a dance just before the action ending, when Si Jenks has a sizable bit, calling dances and mugging, and there is a bit of pie-throwing. In short, this one looks like it was thrown together hastily to fill a hole in the release schedule. While it will probably be satisfactory to fans of Bob Steele, it won't win him any.

Not copyright 1934 by Supreme Pictures Corp. U.S. release: 8 March 1935. 54 minutes. (Available on an Alpha DVD).SYNOPSIS: A weird but cleverly integrated mixture of western, romance, horror, science fiction and mystery elements make Big Calibre MUST viewing for fans of all five genres.COMMENT: Elliott's make-up and his voice disguise is so perfect that it fooled even those professional "B" experts, George E. Turner and Michael H. Price, authors of Forgotten Horrors. True, director Bob Bradbury (Senior) masterfully focuses attention away from Eliott's brilliant masquerade by allowing us to penetrate the supremely obvious disguise affected by screenwriter Perry Murdock in his role of the murdering chemist. But wonderful as Murdock's impersonation is, it pales besides Elliott's whose facial make-up is not only well-nigh impenetrable but seems totally convincing. In addition, Elliott has changed his voice, his gait, his stance so credibly, we're not surprised Turner and Price were taken in by such a superb deception. But in addition to allowing us to discover what a really outstanding actor John Elliott is, Big Calibre has many other virtues for both fans and connoisseurs. Including Battling Bob's plucky hero, Forrest Taylor's smooth-as-silk confederate, and Peggy Campbell's absolutely disarming, radiantly charming heroine. As usual in Steele vehicles, the pace is fast and full of action - except for one long, extremely odd interlude featuring Cy Jenks, would you believe, as a dancing dance-caller!