Hell Town (Born to the West) : John Wayne! Full free Western with Marsha Hunt & Johnny Mack Brown (Word on Westerns) (Corrected)

Re-posted by N.S.

2,088 views Premiered May 17, 2024

"John Wayne action classic! Duke was back in the saddle again after a series of non-western roles at Universal in the mid 1930s. This time he’s in a B plus western that co-stars Johnny Mack Brown and Marsha Hunt (Oct 17, 1917 - Sept 7, 2022). Originally released as Born to the West (1937), the retitled Hell Town is based on a Zane Grey story.

"Duke is Dare Rudd, a cocky gambler with saddle pal, Dinkey, played by Syd Saylor. Dare and Dinkey drift to Wyoming and connect with Dare’s cousin, played by Johnny Mack Brown. Duke’s slightly amoral character moves in on his cousin’s girl, the lovely Marsha Hunt (Oct 17, 1917 - Sep 7, 2022). This isn’t the John Wayne you’re used to seeing. Sure, it’s a step up from his Lone Star B westerns and it’s nice to see Wayne coming into his own as a more accomplished actor.

"It’s also nice to see former Alabama football star Johnny Mack Brown. During the silent film era, he was a [sic] cast opposite Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, and Mary Pickford. When sound came in, his thick Alabama accent kept him in westerns, and he remained a star of B westerns for over 20 years. It’s a treat to see Marsha Hunt as the young ingenue. As you’ll see, she does some fast riding in this and can handle a horse just fine. Marsha Hunt stars in a B movie favorite of mine, the classic Film Noir, Raw Deal (1948). You’ll also spot James Craig in the cast, playing poker with Duke and Monte Blue.

"Shot in Kernville and Lone Pine, CA, this is an important film in Duke’s transition to becoming an A list actor and movie star. He’s got the grin, the charisma, the swagger and carries himself with the confidence of a star. Two years after this film, John Ford cast him as the Ringo Kid in Stagecoach and, as they say…the rest is history!"