StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

JohnHowardReid Randolph Scott (Bat Masterson), Robert Ryan (Allen Harper), Anne Jeffreys (Ruby Stone), George "Gabby" Hayes (Bill Burns), Madge Meredith (Susan Pritchett), Steve Brodie (Logan Maury), Billy House (Carmody), Virginia Sale (Hannah), Harry Woods (Lance Larkin), Phil Warren (Slim), Harry Harvey (mayor), Jason Robards (Jason), Ernie Adams (Eben Bowen), Frank Mills (saloon patron), Jessie Arnold (Jason's wife), Stanley Andrews (Ferguson), Frank Austin, Joe Brockman, Roy Butler, Paul Dunn, Sam Lufkin, Dick Rush, Carl Wester (farmers), Guy Beach (Doc Evans), Elena Warren (Mrs Brown), Larry McGrath, Billy Vincent, Glenn McCarthy, Howard McCrorie (henchmen), Forrest Taylor (Dave), David Olson, Eugene Persson (boys), Sarah Padden (Mrs Ferguson), Al Murphy (dealer), Frank McGlynn (Tim McKeon), Si Jenks (Charlie Thorne), Betty Hill (dance hall girl), Lew Harvey (saloon gunman), Kit Guard (drunk), Chris Willow Bird (Indian), Warren Jackson.Narrated by Ray Collins.Director: RAY ENRIGHT. Screenplay: Norman Houston, Gene Lewis. Based on the 1937 novel Golden Horizon by William Corcoran. Photography: J. Roy Hunt. Film editor: Lyle Boyer. Art directors: Albert S. D'Agostino and Ralph Berger. Set decorators: Darrell Silvera and John Sturtevant. Costumes designed by Adele Balkan. Music: Paul Sawtell. Songs: "You May Not Remember" (Jeffreys) by Ben Oakland, George Jessel; "She's Not the Only Pebble on the Beach" (Jeffreys) by Stanley Carter and Harry Braisted. Montage editor: Harold Palmer. Music director: Constantin Bakaleinikoff. Special effects: Russell A. Cully. Assistant director: Grayson Rogers. Sound recording: Jean L. Speak, Terry Kellum. RCA Sound System. Producer: Nat Holt. Executive producer: Jack J. Gross. Copyright 15 March 1947 by RKO-Radio Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Palace: 9 April 1947. U.S. release: 19 February 1947. U.K. release: 15 December 1947. Australian release: 24 July 1947. 7,730 feet. 84 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Bat Masterson tames Liberal, Kansas.NOTES: Number three of RKO's top profit-makers for 1947. (Crossfire held down the number one spot, followed by The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer). COMMENT: A formula western, but a very entertaining one. All the standard ingredients are here, including the late-arriving peace officer (a memorable portrait by Randolph Scott), the restless heroine (played by the charming Madge Meredith), the go-getting hero who is unjustly accused of murder (Robert Ryan in his post-war debut), the warm-hearted saloon girl (the delightful Anne Jeffreys), the sleazy villain (marvelous Billy House), and last (but fortunately least), the comic relief (long-winded "Gabby" Hayes). These familiar trappings are given a terrific boost in Trail Street by high production values and superlative technical credits (in which the attractive camera-work, the richly appointed sets and the wonderfully in-period music score really stand out).

Robert J. Maxwell Things are tough in Liberal, Kansas. The wheat farmers are having one heck of a bad time. Kansas doesn't seem to be wheat country. This doesn't bother the cattlemen, led and exploited by Steve Brody. As the farmers try to pull out, one by one, he buys up their land at low prices and sells it at a profit to newcomers and cattle folk alike. I think that's what he does. Anyway, the point is that he's evil.Robert Ryan, a good guy, is lending the farmers all the money he can get his hands on to keep them trying because he feels Kansas can become the breadbasket of America. He comes across a strain of wheat that can survive the summer droughts -- winter wheat -- and saves the day. And you thought Kansas was nothing more than sunflowers and tornadoes.That no-goodnik Steve Brody will do anything to keep the farmers from finding out about winter wheat. It leads to murder, for which Robert Ryan is framed.Enter the new town marshall, Bat Masterson, in the person of Randolph Scott. He begins to introduce law and order into this chaotic Western town even before he steps out of the stagecoach. (He reached out the window and bonks somebody over the head with his revolver.) Robert Ryan is in love with the beautiful Madge Meredith. She seems to love him back but decides to run away with the evil Steve Brody because he, at least, will take her to Chicago with him as his wife and she'll be able to live the good life she's entitled to, rich and spoiled. Now, is that a desirable spouse or what? Ryan's judgmental apparatus must have the density of titanium.It SOUNDS okay and in some ways it's a novelty. That search for winter wheat, for instance, and the question of Kansas' future. But mostly it's rather boring. The story meanders quite a lot and leaves oxbow lakes behind. And that's not the only problem.There is a scene in which an argument takes place between Madge Meredith, the love of Ryan's life, and Anne Jeffreys as the, umm, yes -- as the "dance hall singer" with a heart of gold. It's a fascinating exchange, because it demonstrates that Madge Meredith cannot act while Anne Jeffreys can.There isn't much action in the movie either, aside from hordes of gunmen riding recklessly down Trail Street and shooting things up. But that sort of thing is de rigueur. I mean there's little meaningful action. It's a talky picture.Randolph Scott is winning, as always, but his character is not. He doesn't outdraw anyone. I'm not sure he even SHOOTS anyone. And he smiles constantly and is always polite. A villain, to him, is "this gentleman." He's not nearly GRIM enough, not the engaging and taciturn spoilsport he was to become in his Westerns of the 1950s. He doesn't really want to be a marshall, he tells Ryan. You know what he really wants to do? He wants to be a "journalist," a word that the unfunny Gabby Hayes is unable to even pronounce. (The real Masterson went on to become a timekeeper or something at a world's heavyweight boxing championship bout in New York.) The movie had a good deal of potential, what with the cast and a potentially interesting plot about wheat and farmers and saloons, but it just kind of dribbles itself away into nothing of much interest.

krorie This is a fairly good B western that is upgraded almost to A by the presence of Randy Scott, Robert Ryan, and Anne Jeffreys, unusual in that it concentrates on developing new farming methods to make Kansas the breadbasket of America rather than the usual open range issue in the wars between cattlemen and nesters, although that too is touched on. Gabby Hayes was noted for his tall tales. He even had an early television show centered on that talent. Many times his tall tales were lame but this go around the stories are actually humorous. Helping out in this department is the emphasis on a supposedly mythical character Brandyhead Jones. This running joke has a good finale making it even more intriguing. Character actor Harry Harvey as the mayor is a good foil for Gabby.Randy Scott plays the historical Bat Masterson with emphasis on Bat's hidden talents as a writer. The real Bat Masterson ended his life as sports editor for the Morning Telegraph in New York City. Bat was also good with the six-shooter and was a lawman from time to time. Apart from this the rest of "Trail Street" is mainly fiction based loosely on fact here and there.Unlike the average B western, the title of this film relates directly to the story being told. Trail Street is the main street of Liberal, Kansas, the end of the trail for drovers who herd the cattle to the stockyards for shipment to Chicago. The farmers are threatening to turn Trail Street into Wheat Street. Maury (Steve Brodie) and his toady Carmody (Billy House) the saloon operators are determined to get the land for themselves and keep the new farming methods and new strain of wheat out of the hands of the farmers. House makes an excellent sycophant. Madge Meredith delivers the goods as well as the soiled dove with the heart of gold who also has a filial relationship with Allen (Robert Ryan), the local financier who tries to help the farmers. Meredith had a rather brief screen career. Too bad for she was a skilled actress if this movie is any indication of her abilities.A bit confusing is having two heroes rather than one. Bat and Allen work as a team. Both are pals to Billy (Gabby Hayes) which almost makes this into a Three Mesquiteers outing. Fans of Randolph Scott and Gabby Hayes should enjoy this oater. Others may get bored in places, though there is a good shoot out at the end which reminds the viewer of the later John Wayne saga Rio Bravo.

vitaleralphlouis Do a title search on Randolph Scott and TRAIL STREET is the one film missing from the list you've seen. One of 4 films Scott made at RKO during his prime (1947) the others are always easy to get. Liberal, Kansas is just southwest of Dodge City and is a powder-keg about to explode between the trail-riders who drive the longhorns into Trail Street, the town's main street, and the sod-busters who feed our bellies. It'll take a strong man like Bat Masterson to step between the two groups and bring the town to order. More I won't say, except that Scott movies usually have just one pretty girl and this one has three. RANDOLPH SCOTT always played men you could look up to for their sense of honor, courage, level-headedness and willingness to do the right thing. Fifty years ago parents could send their kids to a Scott movie with confidence they'd learn positive values. ROBERT RYAN co-stars in this film, playing a good guy for a change. In real life, RYAN was one of the many WORLD WAR II HEROS who starred in America's movies. How sad what we get these days. George Clooney teaches our young that we ought sympathize with suicide bombers, while Steven Spielberg teaches there is no moral difference between the Olympic athletes murdered in 1972 in Munich and the Palestinian terrorists who killed them. Hollywood 2005 derives their moral compass from too much cocaine and too much commitment to the wacky left. I wonder how all this plays out in Liberal, Kansas. Liberal, after all, was not a dirty word 150 years ago when the city was named.