Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Strong and Moving!

Just what I expected

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Randolph Scott (Larry Sutton), Ann Sheridan (Rita Ballard), Charles "Chic" Sale (Deputy Tex Murdock), George F. Marion (James Ballard), Mrs Leslie Carter (Mrs Borg), James C. Eagles (John Borg), Willie Fung (Ling Yat), Kathleen Burke (Flora Ballard), Howard Wilson (Fritz Ballard), Florence Roberts (Mrs Ballard).Director: CHARLES BARTON. Screenplay: Edward E. Paramore, junior. Adapted by Ethel Doherty from the novel Golden Dreams by Zane Grey. Photography: Archie Stout. Art directors: Hans Dreier and David S. Garber. Music: Rudolph G. Kopp. Producer: Harold Hurley. Copyright 7 February 1935 by Paramount. U.S. release: 1 March 1935. Australian release: 4 September 1935. Re-released in 1950 by Favorite Films as The Fighting Westerner. Critics' Choice DVD rates 9 out of ten. NOTES: The first of only two talkies made by the distinguished stage actress, Mrs Leslie Carter ("The American Sarah Bernhardt"), who is the subject of the 1940 movie, "Lady With Red Hair". COMMENT: This "B" western is a must-see if only for the presence of Mrs Leslie Carter who has a major role which she plays with unforgettable (if somewhat theatrical) gusto. Director Charles Barton was wise enough to indulge her with many close-ups. We wonder if the celebrated red hair is actually a wig, but the important thing is that we see her and hear her. Truly, a theater-lover's heaven. However, "Rocky Mountain Mystery" has many other features of interest as well. Just take the rest of the cast: George Marion, who starred opposite Garbo in her first talkie, Anna Christie (1930), is great as the crippled mine-owner. Randolph Scott is at his personable best as the hero, playing opposite here the lovely Ann Sheridan. Charles "Chic" Sale, a very popular artist in his day, displays plenty of fire in the serio-comic role of a none too-bright old codger who has been roped in as a deputy sheriff. Kathleen Burke elicits plenty of sympathy as a brittle but imperiled heiress, while Florence Roberts makes the most of a stand-out scene in she confronts both Mrs. Leslie Carter and then George Marion. Director Charles Barton not only deftly underscores all the various plot surprises but invests the movie with an overall atmosphere that is truly chilling, assisted here by marvelous art direction, spooky photography, disorienting sound effects, and production values that can only be described as staggering.

Rocky Mountain Mystery exists in that parallel universe where the old west never really ended but continued on well into the nineteen-thirties and forties, usually inhabited by Gene Autry, Roy Rodgers, Tex Ritter, and sometimes even a very young John Wayne.The characters ride horses, use oil lamps to light their way, and seemingly live a frontier existence under territorial law, all with six-guns on their hips. The viewer either forgets or is unaware that this is supposed to take place in modern times when suddenly the cowboys encounter modern cars, telephones, radio, and electricity. I sometimes wonder if the depression era children who were the films' main audience actually believed the west was really like this.This is an above average B-western and a great example of what modern experts are calling "horror western" due to their odd plots and sadistic mystery villains. I prefer to call them mystery or suspense westerns.Rocky Mountain Mystery effectively mixes an Old Dark House plot with frontier themes. It's not as chilling as I'd like but it does have a creepy fiend dressed in black complete with gloves, hat, and cape; a killer that prefers to crush heads in a hydraulic press but isn't afraid to menace a pretty girl with a straight razor either! The ending is quite surprising and well plotted.

I quite enjoyed this movie. Randoph Scott was quite good as the agent sent to investigate things (I can understand how Cary Grant was supposed to be smitten by him at the time). I liked the production values for this 1935 film, it helped me know more about 1935. I enjoyed the story and was mildly taken by surprise as to the "who done-it". The old lady was a "hoot", I understand she was quite an actress in her day and quite a personality also: a movie was made about her and her husband, for some unusual reason. Loved watching Ann Sheridan and all the other actors (seemed like a stage play) who all seemed to have long and interesting careers. Loved the scene in Hawaii for some reason, maybe it tied up all the loose ends, happy ending, etc. I also prefer the "Rocky Mountain Mystery" title as opposed to "The Fighting Westerner" title that I bought.

This is definitely a "B" type western, but Randolph Scott does his normal star role as Randolph Scott. "Chic" Sale's performance as the "old timer" is very entertaining, the plot is decent, and everything moves along. Some interesting little add ins, like the two dogs. You can also see Ann Sheridan before she learned to act.All in all a little better than average for this era.