THE DESERT TRAIL

Cinemavixion Review

Lewis D. Collins' 1935 Western, "The Desert Trail," offers a brisk, albeit familiar, adventure starring a young John Wayne as rodeo star John Scott. Alongside his companion, Kansas Charlie (Paul Fix), Scott finds himself falsely accused of armed robbery. The ensuing flight from justice morphs into a determined pursuit of the real culprits, leading them to the rough-and-tumble settlement of Poker City. While not a groundbreaking narrative, the film benefits from Wayne's early charisma and the straightforward, no-nonsense pacing typical of the era's B-Westerns. The plot, though thin, serves as a serviceable vehicle for action and the classic Western trope of clearing one's name. "The Desert Trail" is a modest but enjoyable slice of early Hollywood Western filmmaking, worth a look for fans of the genre and Wayne's burgeoning career.