The Murdock's bank is in trouble. So they ship money on the train and rob it to get back the money plus the insurance, Bonner and his two pals recover the money only to be thrown in jail. Director: OTTO BROWER. Screenplay: Philip White. Based on the Cosmopolitan Magazine story, "All for Love", by Peter B. Kyne. Photography: Harry Neumann, Tom Galligan. Film editor: Mildred Johnston. Production manager: Sidney Algier. Assistant director: Wilbur McGaugh. Sound recording: L.E. Tope. Recorded at Tec-Art Studios on RCA Photophone Sound System. Producer: M.H. Hoffman Jr.<br/><br/>Not copyrighted by Allied Pictures Corp. No New York opening. U.S. release: 15 January 1932. 59 minutes.<br/><br/>COMMENT: Even if you were a famous, super-popular author like Peter B. "Three Godfathers" Kyne, magazines like Cosmopolitan and The Saturday Evening Post used to demand certain standards in all submissions. The manuscript had to be strongly plotted, for instance, with three or four neat twists, stings and surprises. It was also essential the locale of the story be vividly drawn, and the main protagonists of its clever plot be colorfully characterized. <br/><br/>"The Local Bad Man" fills all these requirements in spades, both in print and on the screen. In fact, thanks to ingratiating performances all around, but particular from Hoot, Sally and Skeeter, "The Local Bad Man" is far more entertaining to watch than to read. <br/><br/>Brower's skillful direction gets the best out of a budget which allowed for a fair amount of location filming, action scenes and background extras. Photography and other credits also appeal. Brothers Ben and Joe Murdock are in trouble at their bank by embezzling their funds and are looking for someone to blame when they decide to rob the express train carrying their funds then collecting on the insurance. They see an easy target in Jim Bonner, who with pals Skeeter Cole & Horsetail Wright, have been causing trouble with railroad station operators due to their dislike of the railroad. This changes when the railroad puts Marion Meade as the station operator and Jim immediately falls for her, going out of his way to impress her. The Murdocks carry out their plan to rob the train, but Jim recovers the money but is blamed for the robbery because of his beef with the railroad and is jailed. Needing Jim as a scapegoat, the Murdocks have their gang try to bust Jim out of jail, but Jim manages to escape beforehand when he learns of another attempt to rob the train and has to recover the money before the sheriff catches up with him. Not much action in this B western, as typical with many of Hoot's solo efforts, but he still manages to win the audience over with his charm and the story is not that bad here. Robbins and Brown here are OK as comic relief, but Blaine really shines as the love interest for Hoot and the chemistry between them really helps carry the film. Rating, based on B westerns, 6.
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