There's only one thing that distinguishes this A.C. Lyles western from the rest of that producer's crop: This one was not filmed in some shonky widescreen process but lensed in ordinary 35mm – cropped top and bottom for widescreen projection in cinemas. But otherwise, it's the same again. In fact, if anything, it's less appealing. "Buckskin" has a very talky screenplay with a bit of action – mostly at the climax (and even that is somewhat tame, considering the large amount of talk that has gone before). A few outdoor locations have also been utilized – all photographed in somewhat under-lit color. These are interspersed with some obviously studio streets, housing a great collection of old character actors, some of whom appear on screen but briefly. Richard Arlen, for instance, has only one scene, and Joan Caulfield makes a very late entrance. However, she has survived the years better than most, including Barbara Hale. Corey and Chaney act their roles with villainous relish, but Sullivan makes no more than an okay hero in this tepid piece which Michael Moore's slow-paced, TV-style direction using an abundance of unnecessary close-ups, does nothing to improve.
Review of Buckskin
