Dakota (1945)

People are voting emotionally.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Blistering performances.

It's really interesting to look at some of these old movies from the 40s and 50s. They had a directness and economy of style and language that is lacking in so many movies and TV series these days.Modern screen writers could learn a lot from watching them. Note, if you will, that few have the same writer and director - a fact that makes them far, far better than the vast majority of writer/director movies these days, certainly at least as far as story goes.Dakota is typical John Wayne fare. John Wayne plays John Wayne and we love him for it. We know who the good and bad guys are and the script is not without its subtleties. We know who's going to win but not always who the casualties may be.A (relatively) young Walter Brennan plays, er, Walter Brennan - yes, and that's why we love him! - and the whole thing is packaged in an economy. bite-sized package, ideal Saturday morning fare and, of course, a must for anyone who loves Westerns and John Wayne.Side note - the plot does, in part, include 'fields of wheat;, a phrase that will resonate (possibly in an ironic way) with viewers in the UK in 2018!

. . . Vera Hruba Ralston brings DAKOTA to vivid life, acting circles around her co-stars Walter Brennan and John Wayne, in many critics' opinions. If Ms. Ralston had been the mistress of a Major Axis Figure, such as Hitler or Mussolini, American Movie Studio Heads might have felt that she was carrying too much personal baggage for her supporting players such as Brennan and Wayne to lug (this dichotomy is literally pictured on-screen here in DAKOTA'S first scene). But just as this opening incident of DAKOTA illustrates, Ms. Ralston is particularly adept at jettisoning excess carry-ons in favor of winging it Au Naturel. That's right, Vera's portrayal of "Chicago Sandy" is so convincing that she hardly needs to be tricked out in period costumes, make-up, and wigs. One can just as easily picture Chicago Sandy as a working gal, brazenly baring everything as she murmurs Sweet Nothings into a john's ear. With such a star turn by Ms. Ralston, viewers may not even notice as the Dakotas are burned down to cinders around her, including the City of Fargo and all of the wheat farmers' homes, along with their crops. Wayne's bumbling may have gotten most of Fargo's population killed, but at least no one is wood-chipped to death in DAKOTA, as America exclaims, "Hubba, Hubba, Hruba!"

It's interesting to follow John Wayne's career progress, from the early Lone Star Western days up through the leading roles he's most famous for in the Sixties and Seventies. Here, in "Dakota", and in other films of the era, he probably appeared at his best in terms of rugged good looks and athletic skill. He cuts an impressive figure, particularly with leading lady Vera Ralston by his side to smooth out the rougher edges.The film itself isn't particularly noteworthy for it's story line, a theme that's been done time and again in the genre. Evil land grabbers attempt to swindle hard working honest folks out of their wheat farms just before the railroad comes through so they can cash in for the quick kill. Ward Bond portrays the main bad guy with subtle malice as he engineers the land swindle, while pro boxer/wrestler/strong man Mike Mazurki is his top henchman. Bond's character Jim Bender in particular is a much smoother characterization than one is used to seeing in these types of oaters; more than one wheat farmer commented on how honest he seemed to be with his calm demeanor and dialog.The picture gets off to a wild start as John Devlin (Wayne) elopes with Sandy Poli (Ralston), as they manage to outrun her father who disapproves of the already completed marriage. In a well crafted scene, Marko Poli (Hugo Haas) turns the tenor of the early story on a dime as he comically attempts to send off a telegram to the daughter that got away. The scene sets the stage for additional comic relief, primarily supplied by Walter Brennan in a wonderful portrayal of the 'River Bird' Captain Bounce. Most of the time Bounce can be heard talking to himself in the colorful language he's known for, and it's a hoot to catch his antics, particularly in the grounded riverboat scene.Nick Stewart is the captain's sidekick, his gimmick is a constant handkerchief wipe of face and brow that signals a nervous twitch. His black character is somewhat stereotypical in presentation, but not as racially charged as mentioned elsewhere in this forum. Probably the worst that can be said about it is that it resembles a 'Step 'n Fetchit' type of portrayal, though it comes in handy for Wayne's character later in the story to signal the bad guys on the move.There's a neat device near the finale when Devlin goes after Collins (Mazurki). While pushing through the door of the cabin, Devlin pulls Collins' hat down over his face prior to bashing him. That's a move I hadn't seen before.Probably the most unusual and in it's way most refreshing element of the story is the way Ralston's character keeps one step ahead of her new husband by pulling the strings on their future together. With his eye set on California, Devlin never makes it as the Mrs. manages to shanghai his plans every step along the way. It's also on that note that the movie ends, with the Captain's refurbished riverboat horn drowning out Devlin's protest against another one of her manufactured schemes.

Vera Ralston was an actress that was cast into films because she was married to the big boss of Republic. In Dakota she comes out surprisingly well as Sandy Poli a determined woman, daughter of a millionaire who marries John Wayne. He wants to go to California, but she chooses Dakota and from then on she is the one who makes the most important decisions for the couple. It is not usual to see John Wayne in this situation but it makes the film more interesting. There are two familiar actors also, Walter Brennan and Ward Bond. It is remarkable that with a low budget they made quite a convincing scenery of what Fargo,Dakota must have looked like. The movie is quite entertaining except for the fact also mentioned in one of the comments, that they make too much use of scenes taking place at night. No need for that, it only makes it harder to understand what is going on.