Why so much hype?

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Copyright 28 September 1932 by Vitagraph Pictures, Inc. Released through Warner Bros. No New York showcase. U.S. release: 8 October 1932. U.K. release: March 1933. 54 minutes. SYNOPSIS: A bandit (Alberni) aids a new deputy sheriff (Wayne) in cleaning up a gang of rustlers organised by a big land owner (Beery) in New Mexico. NOTES: A re-make of The Land Beyond the Law (1927) starring Ken Maynard as Steele, Dorothy Dwan as Ginger, Tom Santschi as Crew, Noah Young as the bandit chief, Gibson Gowland as Crew's vicious henchman, Billy Butts as the youngster, and "Tarzan" the horse as himself. Directed by Harry J. Brown, photographed by Sol Polito for Charles R. Rogers Productions. Re-made again in 1936 under the original title, this time with Dick Foran. COMMENT: The original Ken Maynard effort must have been one spectacular movie. True, some of the stock footage was undoubtedly lifted from earlier films, but it's still mighty impressive. This Wayne re-make would certainly have knocked the socks off most spectators who must have a wondered how a little "B" western could afford such exceptionally lavish effects. And it's not that The Big Stampede relies to all that great an extent on stock footage either! Impressively adding to the tautness and suspense of the script are a fine roster of players, led by the personable Wayne, the delightfully villainous Beery and the psycho-comic Hurst. (Love the way the cast is introduced in the credit titles: Wayne chatting to "Duke", Hurst glowering at a laughing Beery, Miss Madison looking uncomfortable whilst Master Bailey stares self-consciously at the camera). Wright has directed with considerable flair and panache, making the most of the many action sequences (especially the saloon appointment) staged especially for this movie. For the most part, the stock material is cleverly integrated. It's only the speed of the silent footage that gives the game away - though all the same it's still hard to tell where some Land Beyond shots stop and Big Stampede begins (the gunning down of Lafe McKee, for instance). Realistic sets and locations allow ace cinematographer Ted McCord to present a series of pictures that are always fascinating or appealing.

. . . are thieving crooks with this 1932 offering, THE BIG STAMPEDE. Sam "S.Crew-the-Little-Guy" Crew is New Mexico's richest resident, worth about 18 Trumps (adjusted for inflation). You might wonder what beneficial product Mr. Crew discovered, invented, or manufactured to earn his fabulous wealth. Your answer is: None. He simply hires gun-wielding assassins to filch all the cattle in three states. Is it any surprise that polls show 91% of U.S. gun owners backing America's current Robber Baron, Trump? Or that Trump's main "products" are the 4,000 lawsuits documented by USA TODAY that he's used to shirk 89% of his tax obligations, 62% of his contractors' bills, 74% of his Hotel Workers' overtime pay--all while retaining 95% of the gross on his scams, such as Trump U? Or that his business savvy is worse than his People Skills, so that Russia's KGB schemer Vladimir "Mad Dog" Putin has bailed Trump out of at least $5 billion worth of bankruptcy debt, as the WALL STREET JOURNAL reveals? Warner Bros. decides that S.Crew must be Trumpled to Death in THE BIG STAMPEDE. Perhaps this is the proverbial "word to the wise" one always is hearing about.

Marshal John Steele (John Wayne) teams up with Mexican outlaw Sonora Joe (Luis Alberni) to take on villainous Sam Crew (Noah Beery). Paul Hurst plays one of Beery's henchmen. I'm used to seeing him in gangster pictures and other urban movies like that. He does fine here though. John Wayne made six of these B westerns for Leon Schlesinger that were distributed by Warner Bros. He appears with talented stunt horse Duke in each one. They're all watchable but nothing special. This is one of the better ones, thanks in large part to Noah Beery as the heavy. Luis Alberni is also lots of fun as the flamboyant Sonora Joe, even if he is Mexican by way of Madrid.

"The Big Stampede" was the second of six "B" westerns starring John Wayne and his horse "Duke" made by Warner Bros. for the 1932-33 season. As was the case in this series, this film was a re-make of a Ken Maynard silent (in this case, 1927s Land Beyond the Law).Sam Crew (Noah Beery Sr.) is luring settler's wagon trains (and their cattle) to New Mexico where he rustles the cattle for himself. Governor Lew Wallace (Berton Churchill), who in real life wrote "Ben-Hur", assigns John Steele (Wayne) as a Deputy Sheriff to clean up the problem.He drifts into town and poses as a shiftless drunk to gain knowledge of the situation. A wagon train led by Cal Brett (Lafe McKee) comes to town and turns to Crew for help in settling in the area. But Crew has other ideas.When Crew's gunman, Arizona (Paul Hurst) murders Brett, Steele vows to bring in the killer. It just happens that Brett had a young daughter, Ginger (Mae Madison) and a sling shot slinging son Patrick (Sherwood Bailey). Steele naturally takes to the two.Bandito Sonora Joe (Luis Alberni) and his gang compete with Crew for the settler's cattle. Steele for some unknown reason has enough faith in Sonora Joe to have him throw in with him to bring down Sam Crew. In the final showdown there is a "big stampede" (lifted from the Maynard film) and.........................................Wayne's inexperience really shows In this film. His acting is mediocre at best but he would gain valuable experience over the next seven years in films like this. There seems to have been a scene or two cut from this film. Wayne's transition from the drunken drifter to heroic sheriff is missing. He just suddenly becomes the upstanding hero without explanation. This film is boosted somewhat by the casting of Noah Beery Sr. as the snarling villain Crew. Alberni is also good as Sonora Joe, providing the film's comedy relief. Berton Churchill would appear as Gatewood the banker in Wayne's breakthrough film, "Stagecoach (1939).