Clayton Moore The Lone Ranger Jay Silverheels Tonto Lyle Bettger Reece Kilgore Michael Ansara Angry Horse Directed by Stuart Heisler
A crooked landowner has found a silver mine, and provokes trouble between some
settlers and a tribe of Indians.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto investigate the trouble and when the man who gives them some information is killed, the Ranger discovers that the landowner has purchased a large supply of dynamite.
He sends the sheriff to bring the cavalry and arrest the crook and his gang. The landowner is gathering the townspeople to attack the Indians. The Lone Ranger and Tonto block their way by dynamiting a pass, est the and the cavalry arrives to arr gang before a battle can start. Well the plot is nothing new of course, but then what western has an original' ?, plot?
The first televised adventures of the legendary masked rider, no matter what fond memories we might have of it, were grade Z, cheaply made, studio bound, badly written and directed quickies the exception of the original 3 part pilot and the last season colour episodes which are competent little westerns).
This excellent feature is a grade A adventure, with a good script and fine direction by the under-rated Stuart Heisler. I rate it among the best of the Warner westerns of the 1950's.
The action scenes are plentiful, are high grade and violent - the saving of Tonto from hanging, just in the nick of time, the climax with the dynamite and especially in the hand-to-hand fight between The Lone Ranger and an Indian Chief.
Clayton Moore's disguise as an old man is always enjoyable to see.
Working from the original negatives, Red Fox have produced an excellent print with vivid colours, and the soundtrack is very good too.
Recommended as The Lone Rangers finest film, and an exciting western as well. .
Editors note. This film (which has an excellent review in the recently published 'Aurum Film Encyclopedia - The Western') is currently on offer from Red Fox at $224.95. The Aurum encyclopedia, which is excellent by the way, is priced at £14.95.
| BUY THE LONE RANGER ON DVD | |
| The Lone Ranger is now out of print on Super 8
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| The Lone Ranger (Special Edition) | |
| REGION ONE |
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Distributed by: Red
Fox |
The above review was printed in
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This page was last updated 02 Dec 2002
