Northwest Stampede

Completely meritless Western concerning a top rodeo rider who takes over a ranch. The foreman of the ranch is a woman, who just happens to be a top female rodeo rider. The two have an immediate dislike for each other, but this animosity hides mutual respect which blossoms into romance.

This is one of those films which really is terrible and dull to watch. The story and script are contrived and laboured, with nothing ever really happening. The film meanders painfully along for its short running time, scratching around for scenes to pad everything out.

Film is in colour, which is surprising for a Western released in 1948, although there is some really bad back projection and stock rodeo footage. I also remember some dire animal effects in a scene where some wild horses are attacked by wolves

I was unsure as to the period setting of this turkey - it seemed to be the West of around the 1880's, but later had more of a mid- 20th Century feel about it. This may have been due to my lack of concentration but 'Northwest Stampede' is incredibly tiresome with nothing for the eye or mind to lock on to for more than a couple of minutes.

As a low-budget Western of the 1940's with no names of any note, the film never promised much - despite these low expectations the film fails in every department and has no entertainment value whatsoever. Westerns with rodeo themes are always rubbish - you need cowboys, indians, the cavalry, the drunken sheriff, the saloon gal, the baddie in the black hat etc. - this was more like a Lassie film.