Riders of Destiny (1933)

My Review

“Riders of Destiny” is a Pre-Code B-Western about a land baron who controls the region’s only water supply and forces local ranchers to sell their land for one dollar per acre. John Wayne plays a secret government agent named Singin’ Sandy Saunders sent to the area to investigate. This fun-to-watch movie was well put together by director Weston R. Bowman and screenwriter Robert N. Bradbury.

The cast includes John Wayne, Cecilla Parker, George Hayes, Yakima Canutt, Earl Dwire, Al St. John, Heinie Conklin, and Lafe McKee as Sheriff Baxter. This was the first movie pairing (in 15 films) of Wayne and his sidekick George “Gabby” Hayes. “Riders of Destiny” is a 53 minute black-and-white film from Paul Malvern Productions, Lone Star Productions, and Monogram Pictures. It established Wayne as a famous actor, but superstardom did not arrive until 1939 with “Stagecoach.”