I remember reading something in Australian film trades where producer Hal Roach was going to make a film based on Robbery Under Arms and Ken G Hall threatened a law suit because he had the rights. This is what Roach came up with instead, an early example of the "meat pie" Western.
Brian Aherne, a sort of poor man's Errol Flynn, the actor you'd cast when you couldn't get George Brent, Pat Knowles or Ian Hunter, plays the title role, an Irish convict sent to Australia who escapes to become a bushranger who helps the local settles fight against a villainous land owner (George Zucco).
The main strength of this, apart from the unusualness of the Australian setting (which is not really emphasised, its just the usual immigrant settlers and evil land baron that you'd see in the old West, although the Irish hero is a bit odd), is the cast: in addition to Ahern and Zucco, there's Victor McLaglen and John Carradine as members of Ahern's gang (McLaglen doesn't turn totally good which is a nice change), Paul Lukas as the heroine's religious father, and Douglas Dumbrille as one of Zucco's off siders: that's a very impressive line up, especially for a B picture.
Zucco is never much of a threat - Ahern and his gang get the drop on them very early, and they need Lukas to betray him to kick things along in the third act. There is a fun bit at the end when the settlers go to Ahern's rescue and a woman goes "we can fight too" and grabs a rolling pin. There's a moment where a girl tries to kiss Ahern and he says "maybe we should return to the party" - is this censorship or something else? Despite the horses galloping, hold ups, etc it is a bit clunky at times - Roach wasn't much of a director of action, and some of the sequences are a bit awkward and clunky. Abroad with Two Yanks, say, is a much better directed film.
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