The Durango Kid (1940)

The Durango Kid (1940). 1h 1m | Approved

“Thatu0026#39;s what they used to call westerns, buckaroos. I had never seen a u0026quot; Durango Kidu0026quot; movie before; that series of films pre-dates me, and Iu0026#39;m glad there is still something Iu0026#39;m too young for. I was impressed with Charles Starrett, the big, strapping actor who plays a dual role as a farm owner and The Kid, and who got stuck in the role as have many Hollywood stars stereotyped into playing the same roles over and over. Too bad, because he was a great presence on the screen and it seems he could have played other parts in other genres.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis picture is entertainment from another time and another era, before Americans lost their innocence to TV and became pseudo-sophisticated. The premise is hackneyed and the outcome predictable; bad guy wants to drive out settlers to own all their land, good guy comes to the rescue, etc. u0026quot;The Kidu0026quot; wears a bandanna over his mouth, but still looks so much like the hero that the other folks in the movie come off as very low IQ not to notice the resemblance, much like Clark Kent/Superman.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe genial, stalwart hero is opposed by a no-good bad guy, played by Kenneth McDonald, a very recognizable presence who must have played a thousand villains in his career. Anyone who has seen any u0026#39;40u0026#39;s westerns can fill in the blanks regarding the outcome to the story. Itu0026#39;s 60 minutes well-spent, especially for those of us who remember simpler times.”