In Old California |  | Director: William C. McGann
Actors: John Wayne, Binnie Barnes, Albert Dekker, Helen Parrish, Patsy Kelly
Studio: Republic Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy Used: $4.09
as of 3/20/2010 21:44 EDT details
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Seller: goHastings
Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 72434
Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 88 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: REPD10029D
ISBN: 0782011179
UPC: 017153100297
EAN: 9780782011173
ASIN: 0782011179
Theatrical Release Date: May 31, 1942
Release Date: May 16, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Gold rush fever leads to cold-hearted corruption and hot-blooded revenge. Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 11/09/2004 Starring: John Wayne Helen Parrish Run time: 88 minutes Rating: Nr
Amazon.com
Picture, if you will, a regulation old-time Western saloon, teeming with colorful frontier types and about to be knocked into kindling by a galoot with a fearsome toothache. At this moment, through the swinging doors appears a pilgrim from the East--Boston, to be precise--outfitted with top hat, frock coat, a courtly manner, and a medical bag filled with the miracles of modern (i.e., 1849) pharmacology. He will cure the ruffian's toothache. He is a druggist. He is also John Wayne. In Old California qualifies as one of Duke's quirkier assignments during his indentured servitude at Republic Pictures, and he makes a game stab at the sort of arch light-comedy heroism more typically left to his Reap the Wild Wind costar Ray Milland. Unfortunately, he has to do so without discernible assistance from director William McGann. Moreover, the script, which is incoherent even by Republic standards, absentmindedly omits any prospect for menace till half the running time has elapsed. Saloon songstress Binnie Barnes may or may not be kept by her employer, the loutish empire builder Albert Dekker, who resents her attraction to Wayne almost as much as he wants to hog California for himself. Fortunately, the gold rush comes along to provide opportunity for civic hysteria, an outbreak of fever, several varieties of unlikely heroism, and a climactic shootout of surpassing silliness. Edgar Kennedy and Patsy Kelly handle the comic relief... but where does it begin? --Richard T. Jameson
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| Customer Reviews:
 In Old California March 5, 2010
Deborah A. Tucker
I ordered a DVD but got a VHS. The movie is great. Saw it on TV once and just had to have it. John Wayne is very young in the movie.
Joh Wayne The legend. January 22, 2010
cool
there is alot of things I can say about the duke, I,ll break it down to one sentence,The greatest actor of our time,I have all of his movies, all westerns, and war dvds,In this review, In Old California, is just one of the best westerns i,ve seen yet.the story is well done, and the actors are great. anyone who collects john wayne dvds should add this dvd to his collection.
 The DUKE is great, but the rest are second-rate... June 15, 2001
Mark Savary (Seattle, WA)
12 out of 13 found this review helpful
In one of The DUKE's more off-beat roles, he plays a Gold Rush era
druggist in this picture. Turns out John Wayne's father was a
druggist, which is why DUKE wanted to play the role.Although he
does engage in some gunplay, for the most part, DUKE is not the center
of action in this one. Rather, he's more or less a gentle man of
science who tries to bring much needed medicines to Sacremento. In the
process of following his dream, and the attentions of saloon girl
Lacey Miller, he incurs the wrath of local bad guy and town boss Britt
Dawson and his brother. Eventually, DUKE has to choose between two
girls, clear his name of selling poisoned medicines, have it out with
the Dawsons, and save a gold mining camp from typhoid fever. All in a
day's work for The DUKE! Unfortunately, this 1942 effort is not
exactly a classic DUKE movie. Rather, it plays more like some of the
non-descript "B" westerns DUKE made between 1930's "The
Big Trail", and 1939's "Stagecoach". Most of the
cast is forgettable, save DUKE and Patsy Kelly. Kelly played comedic
roles similar to those played by Mary Wickes, and she stands out better
than the bland villains in the film. Her comedic love interest is
okay, though somewhat William Frawley-ish. As for the DVD, the
transfer is fair at best. The print is pretty well-worn, and even
identifies itself as being a re-release print in the opening
credits! While DUKE's part is pretty interesting, unless you are a
DUKE or Kelly completist, you could probably pass this one up.
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