In Old California (1942)

Sweet singing coyotes.

Tall and elegant pharmacist Tom Craig comes to Sacramento to open up his own drug store. On route he incurs the wrath of bully boy Britt Dawson, who doesn't take kindly to his Bostonian manners, however Dawson's girl Lacey Miller does, and along with newly acquired friend Kegs McKeever, Tom has the foundation to see his plans thru to fruition, but Dawson and his loose cannon younger brother are determined to get in the way.

This is one of those films that the John Wayne haters should seek out when they use the argument that he always played the same characters. Here he is far from macho, for sure he will be forced to branch out and defend what's right, but his Tom Craig here is gentile and full of grace, very much a gentleman thank you very much. Plot wise we are treated to standard fare, good guys and bad guys just don't get on, and you just know that some pretty dames are going to have a say in proceedings. Yet this piece really has much more going for it, it's sense of fun, courtesy mainly of Edgar Kennedy and Patsy Kelly's blossoming relationship, the advancement of drugs to cure the sick and it's back drop of the Sacremento gold rush, all of it comes together to totally satisfy come the final credits. 7.5/10

After a bit of an altercation on the steamboat, “Craig” (John Wayne) arrives in the burgeoning town of Sacramento to set up his pharmacy. He’s no quack, but can’t find premises. Luckily, the lady who was the source of an earlier drenching steps up and agrees to rent him a shop next to her bar. “Lacey” (Binnie Barnes) sees opportunities galore in this broad-shouldered young man but those are not shared by her beau, the town’s self-appointed boss “Britt” (Albert Dekker). What now ensues follows a predicable pattern as it builds to its conclusion, but along the way there is some decent chemistry between a charismatic Wayne and Barnes and plenty of mischief. It’s tightly cast with a few familiar faces to pep up the story as the shenanigans take shape and as our visitor demonstrates just how effective bending a nickel between your fingers can be at conflict management. The production is all very routine but some effort has gone into the look of the film and the writing even manages a little spirit now and again too. Perhaps there are one too many songs, but I still quite enjoyed this lively gold-rush pioneering adventure.