THE PAINTED DESERT (1931) ** The painted actors! I'm not sure who has on more make-up, Helen Twelvetrees or William Farnum. Of course, it looks better on her. Hell, given the cyclology of fashion she could pass right off equally well as a '20s flapper or an '80 L. A. Death Rocker.it does seem like a bit of to-do for an Arizona farm girl, but don't forget that it's right after the silent movie period. Oh, you won't forget! They're all struggling with their timing like a Volkswagen mechanic hired to work a Ferrari convention. William Boyd is even a long way from his Hopalong Cassidy glory, but you can he's all earnest and means somethin'. An' if you made up an all-time all-star timing team, Clark Gable might well be the captain! Wal, his timing's a mite off here too-in an' out not to put too fine a point on it-but the man was born with sarcasm in spades. So it's kind of an incompetent but likable Cowboy Romeo and Juliet in the Desert, but I don't know how anyone could really mind given what all's involved. Let this be a lesson to those who cast: no one would know or care nuthin' about this movie, but that somebody gived Clark 'n' Hopalong a chance.
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