Customer Reviews

Wild Horse [VHS]

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According to the Alpha dvd jacket sleeve Hoot Gibson "...considered his part in the fast-paced western WILD HORSE to be his favorite among all his starring roles." I would have to agree with the HOOTER. A HUGE star in the silent era, Hoot Gibson was one of the few cowboy heroes whose screen presence benefited from the arrival of sound, although his career did not. The major studios felt westerns had no place in talkies and Universal dumped Hoot forcing the star to hang on with poverty row studios. Ensuing court battles kept Hoot off the big screen for a couple years and by the time he was ready to hop back into the saddle singing cowboys were becoming the craze. Hoot, Ken Maynard, Tom Mix, Tim McCoy, Buck Jones & others were suddenly old-timers.
WILD HORSE is one of the truly GREAT low-budget B-Westerns! And Alpha's dvd print is outstanding! Some minor speckling, some scratches, some noise distortion, nothing to distract from viewing enjoyment. This print is beautiful, especially for a film released in 1931. Sharp, crisp images with background depth, clear and detailed...a visual treat!
Hoot and sidekick Skeeter try to capture the wild Devil Horse for the rodeo, but Edmond Cobb kills Skeeter and steals the horse leaving Hoot to be blamed for murder. This could well be Cobb's best preformance in a B-Western. He gets lots of screen time in a meaty role.
Likeable Bill Robbins who plays unlucky Skeeter was unlucky in real life as well, being killed in an automobile accident shortly after this film was made.
Stepin Fetchit's humor is embarrasing and could be done without.
Hoot is simply great, as quick with his wit as with his gun. Silent films could never showcase Hoot's humor to such an advantage! And it's Hoot's humor and line delivery that make this film seem so fresh, even today.
WILD HORSE is a must see for fans of B-Westerns and Hoot Gibson, and the Alpha dvd is the one to get.
My HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!