Riders of the Law

According to the DVD's blurb, "cowboy star Jack Hoxie appeared in over a hundred silent westerns in the 1910s and 1920s." Writer-director Robert N. Bradbury's "Riders of the Law" (1922) would be quite a watchable entry in this league if it were not for the rather dupey 4/10 print on offer, particularly as the assistant director is none other than legendary make-up man, Jack P. Pierce, who also appears on camera as a nasty piece of work called Pete Gushard, the first of the whisky runners trailing "the high places near the Canadian border where mystery and romance are wont to dwell" (to quote Mr Bradbury). However, despite the purple prose, the story has its fair share of entertaining plot twists and action. The players, led by the ingratiating hero Hoxie, comic relief partner Frank Rice, lovely heroine Marin Sais (married to Hoxie at the time), and most particularly Pat Harmon, a charismatic "wolf in sheep's clothing", also do their bit to keep interest at a high level. Executive producer Anthony J. Xydias has given this "B" solid production values, including some arresting on-location lensing by photographer Bert Longenecker.