California Straight Ahead!

I have accomplished something very difficult...I have seen nearly all of John Wayne's films. However, one which eluded me was "California Straight Ahead!"...as I simply couldn't find it anywhere. Fortunately, my friend Angelo found it on YouTube and alerted me...as he knows about my obsession with seeing all of Wayne's films. The copy isn't great but considering its rarity, I certainly can't complain!

While Wayne is most often associated with Republic Pictures, he made this and a few others for Universal. It also was made while Wayne was still a B-movie star...before he broke out with such classics as "Stagecoach" and "Dark Command".

When the story begins, Biff (Wayne) is a school bus driver. However, his girlfriend pushes him to do something with his life...to push for something more. So, he decides to start a trucking company...but he finds it hard going because some of the big competitors, not just trucking companies but railroads, are willing to do ANYTHING to keep small outfits from making it.

In so many ways, this is a pretty typical B-movie. It's 67 minute length, its budget, its plot...all very typical. And, while Wayne is good in the picture, it's also the sort of role many actors of the day could play...especially the likes of Pat O'Brian or Jimmy Cagney or a long string of B-actors. Overall, very watchable and well done for a B, but apart from this and Wayne's appearance, it's nothing special.