Character actor Al Bridge is one of those forgotten names, familiar to those who are fans of the B western, but basically a minor player in big budget films who could have been up there as a top supporting player. I find his gruff, lemon puckered voice to be perfect for the type of roles he plays, snarky and narcissistic, as his amoral characters get involved in all sorts of schemes to cheat anybody they can, that is if they don't kill them first. In this case, Bridge is a gun runner in Mexico being sought after by government agent Tom Tyler with the heavily accented Betty Mack in the middle as the spitfire femme fatale.
Very cheaply made, this is very creaky, but certainly memorable for a plot that never resorts to distracting nonsense, always on point, and every move meant to create one new twist after another. George "Gabby" Hayes is along as the sidekick, but not utilizing his usual stick that would take over his performances a decade later. Not all B Western fans will enjoy this because of antique filming styles, but for those who have the patience to deal with that, they will find many interesting elements that ends up landing a unique film with very interesting character development and an above average script. Bridge on the violin is a nice deadly twist, a unique and nefarious aspect of his character who is fascinating to watch, especially as he reaches the obvious downfall.
Very cheaply made, this is very creaky, but certainly memorable for a plot that never resorts to distracting nonsense, always on point, and every move meant to create one new twist after another. George "Gabby" Hayes is along as the sidekick, but not utilizing his usual stick that would take over his performances a decade later. Not all B Western fans will enjoy this because of antique filming styles, but for those who have the patience to deal with that, they will find many interesting elements that ends up landing a unique film with very interesting character development and an above average script. Bridge on the violin is a nice deadly twist, a unique and nefarious aspect of his character who is fascinating to watch, especially as he reaches the obvious downfall.