THE COWBOY AND THE BANDIT (1935) Rex Lease, Blanche Mehaffey & Bobby Nelson | Western | B&W

The Cowboy and the Bandit is a 1935 American Western film directed by Albert Herman, starring Rex Lease, Bobby Nelson, and Blanche Mehaffey aka Janet Morgan.

SYNOPSIS
Bill travels to a new state after the outlaw Scarface saves him from a lynch mob. There he takes a job on the Barton ranch and joins in the fight against gang leader Larkin. Finding a wounded Scarface he helps him recover. Arrested by Larkin's stooge Sheriff, and with another lynch mob after him, he once again needs Scarface's help.

CAST & CREW
Rex Lease as Bill
Bobby Nelson as Bobbie [Barton]
Blanche Mehaffey (credited as Janet Morgan) as Alice
Dick Alexander as Scarface
Adabelle Driver as Mother Alexander Barton
Bill Patton as Whitey
Hal Taliaferro (credited as Wally Wales) as Chuck
William Desmond as Sheriff
Franklyn Farnum as Dealer
Art Mix as Luke Short

Directed by Albert Herman
Written by Jack Jevne
Produced by Ralph M. Like
Cinematography Arthur Reed
Edited by Carl Himm
Production companies Stage and Screen Productions
Distributed by State Rights, Superior Talking Pictures
Release date November 1935 (US)
Running time 61 minutes
Country United States
Language English

NOTES
The Elizabethton Star gave the picture a good review, stating, "This new film is an extra special variety of action thrill drama for it has everything that a feature picture should have: drama, comedy and added to that stunt riding, hair trigger excitement." The felt the performances of Lease, Nelson and Desmond were excellent, and also commended the job of Nelson, Wally Wales, Mix, and Farnum, among several others in the cast. They also commended the story by Jevne. The Herald-Palladium also gave the film a good review. They called Jevne's script, "well constructed", stating that he did well to get "away from the usual trite Western themes". They complimented Herman's direction, and complimented the acting of Nelson, Potel and Morgan. They called the film, "one of the best pictures of its type that has come out of Hollywood in a long, long time." The Anniston Star gave the film a good review as well, stating that Jevne's script was a "well constructed plot".