During the Oklahoma Land Rush, the lawlessness is exacerbated by the McCord gang's feud with the Kincaids, who are trying to bring law and justice to the region. McCord's gang robs the stage carrying money to pay Indians for their land, and the notorious outlaw "The Oklahoma Kid" Jim Kincaid takes the money from McCord. McCord stakes a "sooner" claim on land which is to be used for a new town; in exchange for giving it up he gets control of gambling and saloons. When Kincaid's father runs for mayor, McCord incites a mob to lynch the old man whom McCord has already framed for murder.. This movie, although not a bad none, strikes a strange note. Bogart and Cagney, the well established Big City hardboiled guys seem to have lost their way in the Warner building and in order not to waste the day, take what they find and try to play it serious, whereas the whole thing has something of a tongue in cheek cameo show. The whole thing centers around the Oklahoma Land Rush and the revenge exacted by the title hero, played by Cagney, to the bad guys having killed his father. And by this, whitewashing himself and get back into his family and to his girl. Cagney all in bright with a cowboy hat, that could serve as a family sun cover and Bogart, the all-black sneering villain, confront each other in well-known form. And Cagney could still survive him at this point in his career. For "Camp" lovers only. At start, Hollywood told Cagney that gangster films did not need two novel hippie tough-guys * * that Bogart was more than enough to satisfy the hungry moviegoers. Well Cagney smartly insisted that he indeed was no mere Bogey 'copy-cat'. He had brought his own characterization, his own flair of cynicism and dark eyes to the silver screen… including torque. And rightly so. Cagney indeed became his own tough guy. Where Bogey shaves tough, athletic, hard-boiled deadpan cynicism, Cagney duly presents cleverness, wit, and boyish charm. Together they curiously pair for this classic Western drama, and Cagney's first major screen role. And indeed Cagney shines here as Jim Kincaid (The Oklahoma Kid).<br/><br/>To some degree Cagney nearly upstages Bogey here, with his clever, cocksure, fast-talking wit, to Bogart's serious, deadpan bantam. But Bogey does hold his own, nicely. However it is very clear that they are very different tough guy personalities. Some critics knitted that Bogey is almost a bore here, almost upstaged by Cagney. However, he indeed brought his own malice as Whip McCord. <br/><br/>The remaining supportive cast are duly delightful. The ever- gorgeous Rosemary Lane (of the famous singing Lane sisters) as Jane Hardwick, the kindly, non-judgmental pioneer-girl who incidentally falls in love with Jim's rebellious, yet kind-bigheartedness… "the wrong man, for all the right reasons", and Donald Crisp (Judge Hardwick) who realizes that his kindly daughter rightfully loves the kind-hearted outlaw.
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326 weeks ago