Two-Fisted Law (1932)

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Brilliant and touching

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

If you are a die-hard John Wayne fan and this is why you are watching this film, you are bound to be disappointed. He's in the film but just doesn't have much to do. His personality is practically non-existent---mostly because this is such an early film for Wayne and his B-persona hadn't yet been established. Instead, it's clearly a Tim McCoy starring vehicle--and an adequate one at that. I've seen much better McCoy westerns (he's one of my favorite in this low-budget genre) but it is passably good entertainment.The film begins with Tim Clark (McCoy) having to give up his ranch. It seems that he's had some business setbacks and the man holding the note to the property is demanding his money now. Having no choice, he leaves and is gone for two years. In the meantime, the baddie, Russell, is now trying to take Betty Owens' ranch as well--or force her to marry him. But, before this evil deed can take place, Clark returns and offers to pay off Betty's debt! And, it just so happens that about the same time McCoy makes this $10,000 payment that the Wells Fargo office is robbed and the clerk is killed. Naturally Clark coming into so much money seemingly out of no where makes everyone suspicious and Russell insists that the nice Sheriff (Tom Tully) arrest Tim. But by the end, naturally, Tim has not only found the real robbers and won the girl--and shown that he is LEGALLY a very wealthy man.Old western fans will also be pleased to know that Walter Brennan is also in the film. Uncharacteristically, he plays an evil henchman and you may not recognize him at first because he's young AND sounds very different--before he lost his teeth in an accident.

Though there seem to be some script holes, generally this is well written with some very good dialog.Tim McCoy was one of the best cowboys and was also a pretty good actor.As noted elsewhere, John Wayne was second billed, but had only a small part. Wallace MacDonald, as his buddy, does more, but his constant use of "y'all" to one person is one of the script's major flaws.As sheriff, Tully Marshall has one of his best roles. It is well written and very well played.Alice Day -- billed as "Alice Fay" on the DVD I own, from Canadian Disc Plaza, on a "Classic Westerns" collection of supposedly John Wayne movies -- is the least capable of the cast, but even she brightens up as the story progresses.Bad guys Wheeler Oakman and Richard Alexander also shone and Walter Brennan, as usual, stood out in one of his early appearances.Director D. Ross Lederman showed a lot of skill in his framing and camera angles. He was held in high-enough esteem to have stayed busy nearly his entire life with dozens of movies and dozens more TV shows.I highly recommend "Two-Fisted Law," despite the pointless generic title.

After losing his ranch to a crooked moneylender, Tim McCoy leaves town to become a silver miner, returning some time later with a plan to save a lady friend's ranch and possibly take back his own, only to become a murder suspect.Although an enjoyable western with a determined performance by McCoy, this is mainly notable for a supporting role featuring John Wayne, who despite having a few starring turns, isn't given anything to do even though he's second billed!Third billed Walter Brennan fares much better as a corrupt sheriff's deputy.

In 1932, the 25 year old John Wayne went down poverty row with the independent production companies. In this film, he developed his fist fight scenarios, adding a bit of humour to his acting as well as drawing out his romantic side.