Wagon Tracks (1919)

Not your typical western, this is a tale of the wagon trains that rolled west through scorching deserts and hostile Indian territory. It's got a twist: there's a murderer in this wagon train, and it's up to expedition leader William S. Hart to find him!

There's a great sequence here in which Hart coerces a confession from the killer. Think of the climactic scenes of "Greed", add a dash of frontier justice, and you'll get the idea. And the movie only builds from there... the wagon train hasn't even met the Indians yet!

This is just the kind of film that made Hart the leading western hero of the World War I era. Here he's rugged and tough, and there's barely a trace of the weepily over-sensitive persona that would diminish later films like "Wild Bill Hickok." Practically all of "Wagon Tracks" takes place on location, giving it a gruelingly authentic feel never found in your typical horse opera. Organ score by Bob Vaughn.

Supplemental material: It's the very first king of the cinematic western, G.M. "Broncho Billy" Anderson, in "Naked Hands" (1918). The film was actually produced by Essanay in late 1915 as "Humanity," but was held back from release. Anderson took it with him when he left the company, and released it himself a couple of years later. Eventually, the feature-length "Humanity" was condensed into this two-reel version called "Naked Hands." Anderson again stars as Broncho Billy (more or less), a gold prospector who strikes it rich but loses his wife to another man. When she dies, and that man is responsible, Billy vows to take the guy apart with his naked hands... and does exactly that, in a surprisingly vicious fight scene!

More than just Cowboys and Indians

This is quite a good DVD featuring the silent era's two greatest Western stars: William S Hart in the feature film, "Wagon Tracks" and G M Anderson, the first real Western star in a 2-reeler called "Naked Hands". Both are powerful dramas with superb acting performances by both Anderson and Hart, and together they make this DVD great viewing. G M Anderson became famous as 'Broncho Billy' in a staggering 350+ 1 and 2 reel films from the early 1900s to 1916, when William S Hart took over the reigns as the screen's Cowboy hero. Although "Naked Hands" was originally made as a 5-real feature length film, it was later shortened to 2 reels, as presented here. It is a sad and stirring little drama with some surprising and very good scenes, and despite many missing parts, this condensed version still packs a powerful punch. It serves as a great introduction to the feature film, "Wagon Tracks" in which William S Hart is the expedition leader of a wagon train across the western deserts to Santa Fe. Much more than just a story of pioneers braving the Wild West, "Wagon Tracks" is mainly about a murder, finding the real killer and serving justice. The victim is expedition leader Hart's own younger brother whom he wanted to meet and escort to Santa Fe, but the actual events of the murder are covered up to appear as an accident. Hart is very good in these emotional and dramatic scenes, and the story moves along at a steady pace with an interesting twist at the end when justice is done. Some parts of this film reminded me of Paramount's 1923 production of "The Covered Wagon", and "Wagon Tracks" is of a similar high standard, even the picture quality on this DVD is very good overall. There is also a nice bonus slide show of about 80 pictures, mainly color posters of Hart's many Westerns, as well as some nice portrait photographs. All up, a good and entertaining DVD for lovers of good silent films, not just of Westerns. April 12, 2005

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