Well they just don't make them like this anymore. I for one would enjoy new releases of this calibre of the western genre. The original western cowboy and the officer and a gentleman vying for the heart of the classy lady who is travelling across the prairies heading for California to re-unite with her wealthy cattle rancher father. The only problem is there are hundreds of Indians behind the tall hills who do not want the Americans settling on the land that they already are sharing with the Mexicans who also have aspirations of taking the beautiful state of California land as their own.The rugged frontiersman is a real life cowboy named Kit Carson (played by Jon Hall) who has teamed up with two of his best friends and loyal followers whose names appropriately are Ape (Ward Bond), and Lopez (Harold Huber). These three amigos agree to be the lead scouts for the wagon train that the unmarried damsel named Dolores Murphy (Lynn Bari) has secured their services for a wheel barrel full of cash. The wagon train also has a flank of American soldiers at their side led by Captain John C. Fremont (Dana Andrews).What is different about this western/romance is that the two alpha males who are vying for Ms. Murphy's affections act more like the courteous animated chipmunks Chip and Dale then two adversaries. Both are true gentlemen and only want Ms. Murphy to be happy with her choice for her future husband.This film is filled with action, light humor, cowboys and Indians, chivalry, romance and a pretty darn good ending for a black and white film released 78 years ago. I liked it a lot and I give it a sound 7 out of 10 rating.

This is a semi-historical western adventure film, featuring the historic Kit Carson(Jon Hall) and J.C. Fremont(Dana Andrews) as the leaders of the American expedition to establish a wagon trail from Ft. Bridger, in SW Wyoming, to central California, across much barren land and the Sierras. Carson refused Fremont's request that he serve as his scout. However, he was convinced to act as wagon master for the wagon train that became attached to Fremont's cavalry unit. This split command offered more opportunities for disagreements on routes, policies, and romance. They are pursued relentlessly by Shoshone all along their route, until they have crossed the Sierras.(Historically, the Shoshone were probably more important in attacking wagons and settlements along the Oregon Trail, although they did range from western Wyoming through Utah and Nevada, as indicated in this film.Once over the Sierras, their enemy became General Castro's Mexican forces. He had supplied the Shoshone with rifles, in their attacks on the Americans.(General Castro is an appropriate historical name). Castro doesn't cause trouble on the trip to Monterrey, on the coast. A celebration is held at the Murphy hacienda. Murphy is a rich man by California standards. His daughter, Dolores(Lynn Bari) was a member of the wagon train(why?). She developed some romantic attachment to both Carson and Fremont during their long trip. She prefers Carson at this point, but he mysteriously leaves for the plains and some beaver traps. Dolores assumes she will never see him again. However, Kit's plans change when he learns of Castro's plan to destroy the Murphy Hacienda. Kit returns to the hacienda to lead it's defense, and take an important part in the movement by the small American community to wrest California from the Mexicans.Throughout, until near the end, Kit has 2 partners in Ape(Ward Bond) and Lopez(Harold Huber). The 3 were the only survivors of a sizable party of trappers who were attacked by Shoshone in the Ft. Bridger area, losing all their beaver pelts....Raymond Hatton plays Bridger, whom we meet at his fort, where the principle characters first meet....It's nice to see Lynn Bari in a leading role. Usually, she was relegated to a supporting role, often 'the other woman'.Much of this was shot in Monument Valley, as was often clear in the background. This was just a year after John Ford discovered this spectacular area for "Stagecoach" and several subsequent films. Unfortunately, neither film was shot in color.As a rather muddled historical adventure, the film isn't bad. Lots of action, and cursory romance between. See it in B&W at YouTube.

The western film Kit Carson, an independent release from United Artists in 1940 presents a rousing action filled portrayal of one of the greatest of American frontier characters. But the real Kit Carson was so much more interesting that it's almost a shame that this one is his screen epitaph. Jon Hall plays Carson in proper frontier style with Mesquiteer like mountain men companions Ward Bond and Harold Huber. Dana Andrews is John C. Fremont noted explorer and surveyor of the west who eventually became the first Republican party presidential candidate. One thing I should dispel right away, they never quarreled over any woman, even one as beautiful as Lynn Bari. Fremont was already married to Jessie Benton, daughter of US Senator Thomas Hart Benton and Carson after living among the Indians and fathering two illegitimate children married the daughter of the governor of New Mexico when it was still in old Mexico. He even took instructions in the Roman Catholic faith to make such a marriage. The action of about two years is compressed into approximately a few months with Fremont's expedition being the catspaw of the US government to check out California to see if it was ripe for the taking. Fremont never took a wagon train to California or anywhere else, especially since he was mapping and surveying the territory that Carson and other mountain knew about before. He had enough trouble getting him and his men over the Rockies and Sierras without women and kids along.Both Hall and Andrews certainly do right by their characterizations of both men and I wish I could rate the film higher. Sad to say though its accuracy is so bad that it's almost on the level of a B western where they use some real life western figure and build a fictitious plot around them. Plenty of action though with Indian fights and then fights with the Mexican army in California. Kit Carson must have done well with the Saturday matinée crowd back in the day.

Kit Carson is an amazing film, it reminds you of one of those old Zane Grey books about caravans going west. Everything that you can expect to happen, is here, an ambush on a narrow passage, the caravans making a circle to protect themselves in an attack, making the enemy believe there are more people then actually are in a place, making a horse run with a dead man mounted, so the Indians will follow, it is all there . At the same time you feel the film was made on a low budget, even though it was made in 1940, it seems older. Jon Hall is very good as Kit Carson, also Dana Andrews as the hard headed Captain. Lynn Bari has an incredible old fashioned look, she seems more like an actress from the twenties. I remember this film being shown here in Brazil, very often during the early fifties, and always with good results at the box office.