Purely Joyful Movie!

A different way of telling a story

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

And rides and rides and rides...in fact, that's all he seems to do through all the episodes. Maybe back in 1936 on a weekly basis,seeing him on his white horse riding around could have been exciting but to modern day eyes,it's just filling in time between the plot. Which isn't much,the heroine,played by a feisty Marla Shelton,is been plagued by attacks on her ranch,the villain wants it for his own reasons, of course. Undercover agent,Buck Jones also poses as the Phantom Rider is out to run him to ground.The usual western plot and often makes an entertaining horse opera but this is just dull. Little action and what there is,mostly the aforementioned riding around. The evil baddie who is never seen full face till the very end is pretty obvious from the start as there is really only one suspect! Kinda narrows it down...This is said to be one of Buck Jones best serials, I'd hate to see the worst ones! Could be watching it over many nights to try to get the feel of a weekly serial makes it seem repetitive but I think it was just bland anyway. Even the ending fails to inspire as our hero has to be rescued by the sheriff of all people! No self respecting vigilante hero wants help from the authorities for goodness sakes!And while Buck Jones pines after the heroine, it's up to his sidekick,the oddly named Spooky to do all the actual undercover detective work. Buck Jones was a good horseman but even his riding skills can't make this mess any better.Better to give this a miss and re-watch some Hopalong Cassidy or Lone Ranger.