"A Lawman is Born" starts out with a fairly unusual premise, that being the star Johnny Mack Brown is a nice-enough appearing young man working in an undemanding job as an assistant store clerk to veteran actor Al St. John, who would later gain his most lasting recognition as a sidekick to western leads Buster Crabbe and Robert Livingston in the 1940s. Although something of a fugitive from justice, circumstances develop in such a way that Brown's character eventually takes on a lawman's role in the little town. The story just seemed to me to be less developed than it could be, and while the cast is capable, it just doesn't seem like we get to know any of the characters all that well, including, unfortunately, Johnny himself! And this in spite of the film being directed by B-western directing stalwart Sam Newfield. The indoor settings are dull, even to the point that main street buildings' open doors looking out to the street from the inside show just an undefined gray background with no hint of the town in view. Even the horse and rider chases move through undistinguished landscapes. One interesting moment in the film is when there is a "Gunsmoke-style" gun duel, which is rarely depicted in these films (it would be interesting to see a compilation of such scenes). So in sum, "A Lawman is Born" It is an okay film, but essentially not really notable nor worth remembering for anything in particular, I am sorry to say.
