It seems to me that the western films of the silent era are all but forgotten today. As much as silent film fans discuss the comedians and dramatic stars of the silent screen the western stars seem to be discussed much less. You rarely hear anything about Tom Mix, William S. Hart or Hoot Gibson today. However the western was a very popular genre during this era and many of these films deserve more attention. One of these is Arizona Days staring the little remembered Bob Custer.
Like many of the best silent film westerns, the story is extremely simple. Custer plays Drexel an undercover agent who sets out to stop some cattle rustlers. This is an extremely simple plot, but this is part of the movie's charm. It has no pretentions, it just sets out to be a fun B western and does just that. There is plenty of fast paced action, beautiful scenery and a surprisingly good romance. All this ingredients are more than good enough to make this a fun filled movie. Adding to this is the easy going charm of our star and the chemistry between him and his leading lady, Peggy Montgomery (who had a good career mostly acting in silent westerns (though she did appear in the classic Harry Langdon short, Saturday Afternoon)).
J.P. McGowan who directed this movie and played the villain had an extremely prolific career both directing and acting in B westerns starting in the 1910's and moving into the late 1930's. During this period he was working heavily with Bob Custer both as a director and a costar. Besides just Bob Custer, McGowan also directed such B western stars as Tom Tyler, Al Hoxie, Bob Steele, Jack Randall, Kermit Maynard and Lane Chandler. IMDB gives McGowan 257 directing credits and 235 acting credits.
A writer for this film, Mack V. Wright, did not write many films. In fact including this one he only wrote three. The same year as this film he wrote for another Bob Custer western directed by J.P. McGowan called West of the Santa Fe. He also helped write a 1920 Hoot Gibson short that he also directed entitled Wolf Tracks. He had a much more prolific career as a director. The films he directed were mostly westerns. In the 1930's he would direct films with two big name western stars. He directed John Wayne in Haunted Gold (1932, cartoon fans may find it interesting that this movie was co-produced by Leon Schlesinger of Looney Tunes fame). He directed Gene Autry in multiple films including Coming Around the Mountain (1936), The Singing Cowboy (1936), The Big Show (1936, which he co-directed with Joseph Kane whom would later become one of Roy Rogers' major directors) and Rootin' Tootin Rhythm (1937). Wright would later become an assistant director for some episodes of the popular western TV series Bat Matterson (1959-1960).
The following is an exhibitors review from the Exhibitors Herald World (Dated March 13, 1930).
"Arizona Days: Bob Custer (Eldorado) - February 26. Pretty fair little western, with lots of action. Got me better than usual house for bargain night. I'm not running many westerns now, but when I do show one, they turn out pretty good for it. Five reels. - O.B. Wolfe, Screenland theatre, Nevada, O. -Small town patronage"
The following is a review in The Film Daily (Dated Sunday, April, 28, 1929).
"Western director, J.P. McGowan knows his stuff on the usual western and keeps this humming along till the finale. The story itself is the average theme recounting the villainy of cattle rustlers, with the hero bringing them to justice and winning the girl. McGowan plays the part of the rustler chief. The girl's father, a rancher, joins the gang on the understanding that the cattle will not be molested. He is really a spy working for the cattleman's association to get the goods on the gang. Then enters the stranger, our hero who is in time to save the girls father after the gang learns that he was spying on them. Works up some fair action stuff, with enough fighting and riding to please the fans. Bob Custer does nice work throughout."
For anyone who has interest in watching this movie, it is on YouTube. Unfortunately the video has no music. I suggest you open up iTunes and play either some nice soft instrumental music or some classic cowboy music like Roy Rogers or Gene Autry while you watch it.
Often it seems to me that the silent films that are best remembered today are either the most artistically daring or the most influential. However small little fun movies like this are still highly enjoyable and deserve more attention from current audiences. Is this a forgotten masterpiece? No, but it is very entertaining. And isn't that why most of us watch movies?
-Michael J. Ruhland
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