(Warner Archive, $40.99) This collection of seven Johnny Mack Brown “Nevada Jack McKenzie” adventures, plus a bonus pair, demonstrates why Brown, with his rich voice and relaxed manner, was very much a movie star. Even when one of these quickies falters, Brown and sidekick Raymond Hatton never do.
The Texas Kid, Partners of the Trail and Law Men, all directed by Lambert Hillyer, are solid, with Sky King’s Kirby Grant popping up in Law Men, while future Lois Lane Phyllis Coates is in Canyon Ambush. The films have never looked better, with Border Bandits particularly well shot by William Sickner. The gem of the collection is Raiders of the South, with Brown as a Secret Service agent.
C. Courtney Joyner is a screenwriter and director with more than 25 produced movies to his credit. He is the author of The Westerners: Interviews with Actors, Directors and Writers.
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