While Douglas Fairbanks is famous for his fantasy and adventure films (such as THE THIEF OF BAGDAD, ROBIN HOOD and THE MARK OF ZORRO), he also made a variety of other films...including some westerns early in his film career. TCM showed two of them tonight, THE GOOD BAD MAN and THE HALF-BREED. Both are about equally enjoyable and both have nice location shoots.
When the film begins, a guy named 'Passin' Through' (Fairbanks) is introduced. He's a bit of a petty criminal who helps the poor and downtrodden...but is also more like an 11 year-old who is a criminal. He causes little serious harm but is more a traveling jerk. However, his jerky ways and traveling come to an end by the finale of this film. Why? Because he learns the truth about his absent father...and how a REALLY bad man named Frazer (also known as 'The Wolf') is responsible for his murder...and Passin' is determined to punish him...as well as marry the sweet girl (Bessie Love).
This is a very exciting film for 1915. Sure, later westerns were a bit more sophisticated...but not much. The story is very well done for the time and Fairbanks and the rest quite engaging.
By the way, the quote in the summary is the way Passin's girlfriend refers to him. My how times have changed.
When the film begins, a guy named 'Passin' Through' (Fairbanks) is introduced. He's a bit of a petty criminal who helps the poor and downtrodden...but is also more like an 11 year-old who is a criminal. He causes little serious harm but is more a traveling jerk. However, his jerky ways and traveling come to an end by the finale of this film. Why? Because he learns the truth about his absent father...and how a REALLY bad man named Frazer (also known as 'The Wolf') is responsible for his murder...and Passin' is determined to punish him...as well as marry the sweet girl (Bessie Love).
This is a very exciting film for 1915. Sure, later westerns were a bit more sophisticated...but not much. The story is very well done for the time and Fairbanks and the rest quite engaging.
By the way, the quote in the summary is the way Passin's girlfriend refers to him. My how times have changed.