The Ivory-Handled Gun

"The Ivory-Handled Gun" from 1935 is a shade more intriguing than most B-ers as it presents a flashback-enacted and directly relevant backstory. What's more, this is one film whose title actually pertains to the program's story.

Buck Jones almost always had a pathos-filled scene or two in his films where he agonizes over a moral or interpersonal dilema, and he has here, too (he rarely showed a happy-go-lucky side in his films, as he almost always seemed to be weighted down with a dose of brooding self-reflection). There may be one or two scenes too many in this one of horse-and-rider runs and chases going at breakneck speed, but the unfolding story is strongly enough done that these scenes don't quite become irritating.

Buck's horse Silver gets entertainingly in on the action in this movie, too, so much so that he should actually have had a higher ranking in the opening player credits. However, I surmise that contractual technicalities obviated such possibilities, even though I wouldn't be surprised if Lafe McKee would have found it appropriate, as well as fun, to allow Silver a trade of slots.

Buck Jones seemed to usually have an aura of purpose and gravity in his western screen performances, and this picture is one more in his long line of entertaining efforts. "The Ivory-Handled Gun is not especially notable for any one thing, but fans of the genre will likely enjoy.