StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 15 September 1934 by Monogram Pictures Corp. No New York opening. U.S. release: 22 October 1934. U.K. release through Pathé: 27 May 1935. 55 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Cowboy journeys to Canada to track down a missing heiress. His quest is complicated when a young friend accidentally kills a card sharp and the two are forced to flee across country.COMMENT: Hard to believe this is a "Lone Star Western". Even the music is different and the budget is pretty close to borderline "A". True, director Bradbury is up to his usual editing tricks, including disconcerting whip pans that don't quite work and odd wipes, but otherwise technical credits, including music scoring and sound recording, are of a much higher standard than usual. The Canadian locations are also mighty impressive, especially as an action background. There are plenty of chases both on horse and canoe, with running inserts and some truly spectacular stunts, leading up to an action-packed double climax in which the thrills are crosscut between the Mounties cleaning up the renegades and our hero pursuing the chief villain. Although heavy on co-incidence, the fast-moving plot holds the attention. Wayne is doubtless doubled for the high diving shots, but he does an impressive amount of swimming. Miss Hillie makes an attractive heroine, and it's good to see both Noahs, father and son. (Is this their only film together?) On the other hand, Frazer makes a somewhat lackluster villain. This must be one of the few westerns in which the heavies are well and truly outclassed in charisma by the good guys. Admittedly the baddies are hampered by some pretty ridiculous dialogue and dopey accents.Despite these examples of amateurish acting, The Trail Beyond all told is a superior western. In fact one of the best of Wayne's early "B"-hero career.

FightingWesterner John Wayne makes a promise to an old family friend to find his long absent brother and niece in the wilds of Canada and ends up on the run there when his traveling companion (Noah Beery Jr.) shoots a man in self defense. To make matters even worse, Wayne finds the man he's looking for's skeleton along with a treasure map that he has to protect from some ruthless French-Canadians!A nice entry in Lone Star/ Monogram Pictures' John Wayne series, The Trail Beyond looks like one of those twelve-chapter serials whittled down to just under an hour. It's absolutely loaded down with adventurous action and great stunt work, including a breathtaking jump from a moving train and a slow-motion horse-leap from a cliff into the water below. However, some of the falling horse stunts were easily recognizable from earlier films and kick up a lot of sand, or is it supposed to be snow?Excellent, well photographed northern California locations double for the Canadian wilderness. I don't know how faithful they are to the real Canada, but they look good.

John W Chance In this "Lone Star" entry, John Wayne is looking for his father's best friend's niece, in "Canada." What makes it stand out is the amazing location photography of Mammoth Lakes and beautiful California! It's watchable just for the scenery! Unfortunately, more time is spent on canoing, chases and fighting than on character development: the heroine is a cypher, and there's no love scene with John Wayne, even though they paddle off into the sunset together. Noah Beery Sr.'s part could have been enlarged; poor Robert Frazer, veteran of over 200 movies and serials, was his usual wooden self, with that phony movie French accent-- his non talents are best displayed in his meaty role as Charles Beaumont in the bizarre "White Zombie" (1931). Earl Dwyer stretches his thespian skills with a matching phony French accent of his own.The story is merely a trifle to fill in the lulls before, between and after the fantastic outdoor sequences. Not the best "Lone Star," but unique in its way as a non-Western Western, and definitely watchable.

bsmith5552 "The Trail Beyond" is another in the series of Lone Star westerns John Wayne starred in between 1933 and 1935. Most were directed by Robert Bradbury (father of Bob Steele). This one is significant in a number of ways: 1) George (Gabby) Hayes is NOT in the cast; 2) It is beautifully photographed (Archie Stout is credited); 3) It features Noah Beery Sr. and Jr. 4) It has "French Canadian" Trappers in the "wilds" of Canada. The best thing about this film is the spectacular outdoor scenery which is supposed to be Northern Canada but actually is probably some place in California since the poverty row studios of the day simply would not have the resources to film in a distant location. The plot involves Wayne headin' north to find the long lost niece of a friend and bring her back. Along the way he meets up with an old college chum (Beery Jr.) who just happens to be going the same way. They soon get accused of murder, discover a lost gold mine and are pursued by the Mounties. Being a Canadian, I've always had a problem with Hollywood's depiction of the "wilds" of Canada. This film is no exception. The chief villains of the piece (Robert Frazer, Earl Dwire) are garbed in the stereotypical plaid shirts, checkered pants, sashes and brimmed caps (What no toques?). Their French accents are hilarious. We see log cabin "settlements" instead of towns and canoes and snowshoes abound everywhere. On the positive side, Yakima Canutt's stuntwork is outstanding as usual. He performs a leap from a moving train off a bridge into a river, rides two horses in succession off of a cliff (I'm sure I've seen this stunt in other pictures in the series) and performs several horse falls during the film's climax. He can be clearly seen doubling Wayne when he vaults onto a horse and gallops away. The acting in this film is just plain awful. Wayne was still learning his craft at this time and it shows. Berry Jr. was just starting out too. The less said about heroine Verna Hillie the better. I had higher hopes when I saw Berry Senior's name in the cast. But unfortunately, he is wasted in a bit part as a the owner of a trading post. (They didn't have stores in Canada you see). Berry Sr. might have lifted this picture a notch had he played the villain instead of the inept Frazer and Dwire.