Bad Bascomb (1946)

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Blistering performances.

Wallace Beery plays pretty much the same style character he'd been playing in films for years. Like his Long John Silver from "Treasure Island", he's a bad guy in disguise as a good one...and deep within is a heart of gold. In fact, in many ways, the film is almost like a remake or at least was heavily influenced by this earlier Beery film.The film is set in the old West and Beery is the head of a gang of outlaws. A posse is pursuing them when they come upon a lone Mormon scout--who they soon kill. Later, in order to avoid capture, Beery and his sidekick (J. Carrol Naish) join the nearby Mormon caravan--telling them how the man they actually murdered "died trying to save our lives" and that they are Mormon converts. Naturally, the two no-good galoots are accepted into the caravan and go along with them--at least until the coast is clear.The Mormon folk are friendly, but Beery is particularly affected by sweet Margaret O'Brien--who, as usual, plays an adorable kid. Slowly, he turns from his evil ways thanks to the power of niceness. However, I could easily see someone being a bit creeped out by O'Brien's overtures towards Beery throughout the film--like she wanted him for her boyfriend or future husband. Weird stuff, huh, though I don't think this is what the writers at MGM intended.Despite a few minor complaints, a most enjoyable but highly predictable and formulaic film--especially when O'Brien becomes ill at just the right time. Had this not been like many previous films, I probably would have rated this one a bit higher.By the way, at the 52 minute mark, Beery is sitting at a picnic table talking. If you pay attention to the background, trees keep appearing and moving each time the camera pans on him! Also, at the 68 minute mark, much of Beery's dialog was clearly dubbed using someone else's voice. Who and why they did this, I have no idea and the voice sounds much more like Harry Carey, Sr.'s voice. Oops.

Wallace Beery plays Bad Bascomb, the cuddliest outlaw in the West! He's a bank robber, a cattle rustler, and he's (oh my!) left-handed! But once he joins up with a wagon-caravan of Mormons--in order to escape the law--B.B. becomes humanized, a scoundrel with a squishy heart. This is a cute western with a warm theme, the best sequences involving Beery with teary Margaret O'Brien (they meet while he's stealing chicken). Marjorie Main is always fun to have around playing Bascomb's Mormon-intended. Strictly a formula film, sentimental and "nice", although some of the action scenes are sloppily-directed and there's some curious overdubbing (when O'Brien says to Beery, "Are you gonna marry her?", Beery answers, "You really are ill!" but his lips say "sick"). Still, quite enjoyable and with some very funny lines. *** from ****

Sure, this is just another horse opera, but who cares?Wallace Beery is more entertaining just being Wallace Beery than most actors are with sparkling dialogue and auteur direction.Magararet O'Brien: Shirley Temple she ain't! When people talk about child stars, they usually mention Jackie Coogan and Jackie Cooper; Mickey Rooney and Dickie Moore; Baby Peggy and Hailie Mills. Give me Margaret O'Brien any day.Marjorie Main could lick her weight in Marie Dresslers, any day.Pure entertainment!

This was a good movie without any of the present day special effects. No swearing, no nudity and no sex. Just plain old good acting. Unfortunately, you have to be a fan of the older movies to really appreciate the quality of this movie and the actors of the era. J. Carrol Nash played the same type of villain as he did in Beau Geste, with Gary Cooper.