The Nevada Buckaroo

The "all talking production" of Nevada Buckaroo has two of the best cowboy stars of the 1930's playing off of one another: Bob Steele and George Hayes. Bob Steele was one of the first talking cowboys and I have always liked him in the movies. George Hayes was still a few years away from creating his niche as the ultimate sidekick.

In the cowboy movies it is a universal truth that good guys are always good, bad guys can be converted to good guys, and once a good guy-- always a good guy! Bob Steele is the bad guy who goes straight, then holds out hope for his former compadres. Not only does Steele need to make a great change in his life, but he wants to right some wrongs for himself and his old gang. The leader of the gang is played by George Hayes.

George Hayes could play a mean villain, and this plot setup gives him something to run with. I have seen other movies with George Hayes from the same time period. In some movies he really stands out while in others he never seems any better than the rest of the cast. I've even seen him in a bit part that made me wonder if he did it because of a contract or because he needed the money. Despite some of those other roles, Hayes is really good as Cherokee in Nevada Buckaroo. Once he became successful as a sidekick to Hopalong Cassidy and Roy Rogers he never got to do the villain parts anymore. There were a couple of early Hoppies with Hayes as a villain, but that was it.

There are some continuity problems in Nevada Buckaroo. I have to stop planning to write my commentary while watching a movie, but in this case I am correct to point out that Nevada Buckaroo does have some things that happen without enough explanation. It's too bad, too. The movie does not look cheap at all. There is plenty of action and a great plot. I was a little distracted, but I watch westerns because I love good guys who are always good, bad guys who can be converted to good guys, and once a good guy-- always a good guy! I recommend Nevada Buckaroo as a good example of an early sound western.