Customer Reviews

Lightnin' Crandall [VHS]

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VCI Entertainment present "Bob Steele Double Feature" (Dolby digitally remastered)...relive those thrilling days from the early '30s and '40s when Bob Steele took us down the dusty trails with some of the best B-Westerns ever to grace the Saturday Matinee Screen...just remember double the thrills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss any of the Bob Steele features loaded with action that will leave you wanting more of his B-Western adventures.

First up of this double feature from Supreme Features is "Tombstone Terror " (1934).(55 min)..Under director Robert North Bradbury, producer A.W. Hackel, supervised by Sam Katzman, original screenplay by Perry Murdock...the cast include Bob Steele (Jimmy Dixon/Duke Dixon), Kay McCoy (Jean Adams), George Hayes (Soupy Baxter), Earl Dwire (Regan), John Elliott (Mr. Dixon), Hortense Petra (Blondie), Anne Howard (Nurse Mary), Nancy Deshon (Millie), Frank McCarroll (Swede). . . . . . . . . our hero Bob Steele plays a dual role of twin brothers, one is on the up and up and the other is no good, or is he...George "Gabby" Hayes is great as the man who taught both the boys how to shoot, fight and ride, the first meeting with Steele is a rip roaring wrestling match...Steele's father John Elliott is ailing, Hayes talks Steele into impersonating his twin brother to bring him around...Earl Dwire is the gambler and always plays his part to the hilt, this time planning to steal the Double-O cattle...will Steele's brother see the light and help his family fight off these rustlers...the fight in the saloon between Frank McCarroll (Swede) is something to see, no stuntmen here it's all them...the final scene has Steele and Dwire in a face-off, Steele "make it a fast draw Dwire it's gonna to be your last, you're killin days are over"...this Supreme Picture release was an above average oater, mainly because of the cast and good story line by Perry Murdock.

The second feature is from Republic Pictures "Lightnin' Crandall" (1937) (60 min)...Under director Sam Newfield, producer A.W. Hackel, original story by E.B. Mann, adaptation by Charles F. Royal ..the cast include Bob Steele (Bob Crandall/Lightnin' Crandall), Lois January (Sheila Shannon), Charles King (Carson Blaine), Earl Dwire (Parson Durkin), Ernie Adams (Texas May), Frank LaRue (Wes Shannon), Horace Murphy (J. Travis), Lloyd Ingraham (Judge), Lew Meehan (Bull Prescott), Dave O'Brien (Tommy Shannon). . . . . . . . .how is it that our hero is hanging up his guns, well that's our story as it unfolds for another Bob Steele oater...has Steele gone tenderfoot, bought a ranch and is now looking for peace and solitude...no such luck as he is smack dab in the middle of a range war... the scenes between Steele and Earl Dwire are magnetic, plus Charles King can steal the film from just about anybody but he's a team player and there is fun for all...Lois January is the heroine and gives an exceptional performance...last reel has a shootout between Dwire, King and Steele at the same time, Steele yells out "both of you fill your hand", guess who come's out on top...final scene has Lois and Bob with their wedding vows, Ernie Adams replys the range war is over for us, but is just starting for Steele....another great B-Western from Bob Steele under the Republic Picture banner, proves to be one of his most exciting performances.

Special footnote, actor Bob Steele was the son of director Robert N. Bradbury and the age of 14 he and his twin brother Bill Bradbury made a series of comedy shorts "Adventures of Bob and Bill" (1920), directed by their father...along came his first starring western "The Mojave Kid" (1927), released by Film Booking Office of America (FBO) and directed by his father, he changed his name to Bob Steele...making low budget B-Westerns for independent studios such as Republic, Supreme, Monogram and PRC which included nearly 200 feature films, serials and TV appearances...was in his twilight years at the age 59 when he got the part of the cantankerous "Trooper Duffy", in the western comedy series "F Troop" (1965), who at the drop of a hat would give his rendition of fighting "shoulder to shoulder with Davy Crockett at the Alamo"...Steele retired from the screen in 1973...his long career, spanning more than 50 years came to an end in 1988 when he passed away.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Bob Steele (Robert Adrian Bradbury)
Birth Date: 1/23/1907 - Pendleton, Oregon
Died: 12/21/1988 - Burbank, CA.

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features with Bob Steele:

BOB STEELE WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES:
1. Vol. 1 - Tombstone Terror/Lightnin' Crandall (VCI #7212) (DVD)
2. Vol. 2 - Brand of Hate/Trusted Outlaw (VCI #7252) (DVD)
3. Vol. 3 - The Arizona Gunfighter/Last of the Warrens (VCI #7261) (DVD)
4. Vol. 4 - Gun Lords of Stirrup Basin'/The Feud Maker (VCI #7275) (DVD)

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Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Tombstone Terror" (1935) and "Lightnin Crandall" (1937)", the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD and VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure from the "King of Serials" VCI...just the way we like 'em

Total Time: 111 min on DVD/VHS ~ VCI Entertainment #7212~ (2004)