Dakota

Rating:
Summary: John Wayne, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond - how can it miss?
Review: But it does. Vera Ralson is part of the problem, she's pretty but bland in the role of Wayne's new bride who sweet-talks him in going to the title state so they can run a riverboat business, but the real weakness is the overall look of the film. An overabundance of rear projection and rather obvious indoor/outdoor scenes gives this 'outer' a distint fake feeling. Duke is amicable in the lead, Bond makes a sturdy villian, Brennan is fine doing his Gabby Hayes impersonation and the film has a rousing climax, but it never rises beyond it's B origins

Rating:
Summary: John Wayne, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond - how can it miss?
Review: But it does. Vera Ralson is part of the problem, she's pretty but bland in the role of Wayne's new bride who sweet-talks him in going to the title state so they can run a riverboat business, but the real weakness is the overall look of the film. An overabundance of rear projection and rather obvious indoor/outdoor scenes gives this 'outer' a distint fake feeling. Duke is amicable in the lead, Bond makes a sturdy villian, Brennan is fine doing his Gabby Hayes impersonation and the film has a rousing climax, but it never rises beyond it's B origins

Rating:
Summary: Not up to potential
Review: Dakota is a film loaded with potential that never really comes together. Big names like Walter Brennan (Rio Bravo, Red River) and Ward Bond (The Searchers) join John Wayne in an interesting plot. The problem lies with the directing and screenwriting. At times the screenwriter confuses confusion with action. During the finale you can see what looks like the same wagon tipping over three times (different angles/reversing film). At times it is difficult to understand what the characters are saying, and why things are happening. Die hard Wayne fans will want to buy this film, but many will probably give it a pass.