Customer Reviews

The Son-of-a-Gun!

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This is a pretty good mid-price DVD showcasing probably the best feature film by G M Anderson who had found fame as the screen's first cowboy, in particular the character called Broncho Billy. In the years 1911-15 he was producing, directing and starring in around 50 one and two-reelers (15-30 minutes in length) a year, mostly as Broncho Billy - which equates to a popular TV series of weekly episodes, so he was certainly a very busy and productive man! No doubt he made the mould for Westerns and cowboy films to follow, and this feature film of 1919 shows him at his best. He's probably the ugliest leading man and good guy you've ever seen, but what Anderson lacks in good looks he definitely makes up for with a unique, dynamic style. His acting is very expressive and there's a nice hint of comedy, as well as a kind of genuineness about him that makes him stand out and steal the show. As `the son-of-a-gun' he plays a rowdy and trigger-happy cowboy who terrorizes his town, but he means no real harm and in the end manages to put the bad guys in their place and save the day. He's loud and obnoxious, but turns into a meek lamb when he sees a pretty girl, thus showing different sides and some depths to this Son-of-a-Gun character. The story is quite interesting with a dramatic climax and a moral principle to be learned, and overall it contains the typical Western fare: even a scene where he rides into a saloon on his horse to introduce himself to a new town!

This DVD starts off with another Anderson feature film of 1919 which was condensed to two reels, namely "Shootin' Mad", but even in this shorter version there's a good story as well and, above all, Anderson's captivating presence. Unknown Video has also supplied some good and informative notes at the outset of each film, along with the standard organ score. Picture quality is also very good, and I'm sure this DVD would be a real treat to Western fans in particular. Personally, I enjoyed getting to know G M Anderson and Broncho Billy, the first cowboy star, as well as the entertaining stories of both films generally.