daltons arrivent (Les)

Nobody else but George Marshall with his characteristic knack for comedy could have helmed the 1940 western horse opera "When the Daltons Rode." This entertaining but uneven blend of humor and hell-raising in what constitutes a biography of the Dalton gang boasts top-flight stunt work but a lightweight approach to an inherently tragic sub-genre within westerns--the outlaw opus. When Universal Studios released this movie, the Hays Office dictated that criminals must not profit from their perfidy, and these felons had to be punished for their anti-social misdeeds. Marshall and scenarist Harold Shumate present the Daltons initially as victims of a crooked land grabbing scheme before they embark on a life of lawlessness made all the more ironic since Bob was a lawman. Indeed, by fade-out, the Daltons have traveled the entire trajectory from maligned innocents to hardened outlaws. Nevertheless, the filmmakers do everything in their power to make this outlaw opus palatable rather than oppressive. Unfortunately, neither director nor writer delves too deeply into the land grabber scheme and the revelation of the individual--the Judas if you will--behind their woes is dealt with in formulaic fashion. The Daltons never learn his identity, but Bob deals him a death blow. Long before "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" treated its infamous outlaw pair with levity, Marshall did so with the Daltons in this trim 81 minute release. For the record, Marshall had made more than his share of westerns during the silent film era, so he was no stranger to westerns. Furthermore, Marshall became the first major western director to ridicule the conventions of the western. "Destry Rides Again," which he made before "When the Daltons Rode" at Universal, stands western conventions on their heads. Sadly, "When the Daltons Rode" isn't as good as either "Destry Rides Again" or Marshall's next western "Texas." The other major weakness of "When the Daltons Rode" is casting leading man Randolph Scott as a tin-horn attorney who never palms a six-gun and spends too much time off screen while supporting players Broderick Crawford, Brian Donlevy, and Andy Devine get the lion's share of the action.

Marshall stages several great action scenes riddled with comedy. The Daltons make a daring, daylight escape from one town when Ozark hijacks a stagecoach and provides cover for their departure from a besieged dinner is funny. Stunt pioneer Yakima Canutt performs his landmark "Stagecoach" stunt. The next great action scene occurs on a train filled with lawmen. Our antagonists steal their horses and ride away. "When the Daltons Rode" has enough action and comedy to help compensate for its tragic ending. The last scene with Tod enduring another lecture from Edgar Buchanan's grizzled old blacksmith is a hoot.

There are no special features, but the print of this film is excellent.

Occasionally, Hollywood will put someone in a picture and give them top billing even though their performance basically amounts to a cameo role.

Such is the case for the great Randolph Scott, who finds himself the titular star of When The Daltons Rode when he's not on the screen much at all. And for that, he should have felt fortunate, because this is not a good movie.

And it's not because it's grossly inaccurate, although that's true (the Dalton's have a saintly Irish mother. They basically got into a life of crime because they were forced into it, etc.) If someone wants accurate history, they should read and study it on their own, and not expect Hollywood to get it right because they usually don't get it right. But this film is just not entertaining. Brian Donlevy and crew just don't make the Daltons that interesting or appealing and Scott's performance as their lawyer doesn't justify his appearance in the film.

To sum everything up, this film is not an example of a classic Hollywood Western.

cool old movie

You got Randolph Scott what more do you want. Good show.

Good western with Randy Scott and good action even though its a b/w movie.