John Wayne's sixteenth and final picture for Lone Star Films was the only one directed by Carl L. Pierson. In the story, Wayne's character John Wyatt joins a traveling medicine show to expose a band of counterfeiters; one suspects that the phony money men might be part of Doc Carter's (Earl Hodgins) bunch. Instead, it's a crew run by Curly Joe Gale (Yakima Canutt), who was once the Doc's partner before Carter got busted for the counterfeit scheme.

You'll get a kick out of the coach at the center of 'Carter's Greater Medicine Show', I can just picture similar get ups heading from town to town to ply the local rubes. Carter has a pretty but naive young daughter Linda (Marion Burns), who doubles in the show as Princess Natasha. However the entire affair is pretty much a vehicle for selling 'Doc Carter's Famous Indian Remedy', and at ninety percent alcohol, it's pretty potent stuff.

As for the real bad guys, government agent Wyatt eventually gets the drop on Curly Joe, with a posse of Mexican rurales chasing down Curly's gang in the finale. It's all wrapped up quickly in just about fifty three minutes, perhaps the shortest of all the Lone Star pictures.

Having now seen all of the Lone Star's, a quick recap reveals that stunt man extraordinaire Yakima Canutt appeared on screen in twelve of the sixteen films in various roles, sometimes as John Wayne's sidekick and often as a henchman. On three occasions, as in this film, he portrayed the main villain. The others were "Sagebrush Trail" and "'Neath Arizona Skies". Even though he didn't appear in "Paradise Canyon", George Hayes showed up in eleven Lone Star's; back then he wasn't known as 'Gabby' yet. Earl Dwire tied Hayes with the same number of roles, however he was one up on Hayes with an uncredited bit part as an Arizona sheriff in this one, but you'll really have to keep your eyes peeled to spot him.

All of Wayne's Lone Star films were filmed between 1933 and 1935, and are quite easily available today, most if not all in the public domain. They can be had rather inexpensively, either alone or in compilations, and they're a great way to see one of movie's greatest stars before he became a household name. Your first viewing will probably give you the same impression I had, marveling at how young and handsome Wayne appeared while learning his craft. By the time of his breakout characterization as the Ringo Kid in John Ford's "Stagecoach", Wayne had appeared in a little over fifty films, starring in most, while patiently awaiting the role that would make him an overnight success.

John Wayne's final Lone Star cheapie has him playing a government agent with a huge hat trying to bust up a counterfeiting ring. He does so by joining the traveling medicine show of Dr. Carter (Earle Hodges) and his pretty daughter Linda (Marion Burns). They always had a pretty daughter in these things. Anyway, the bad guy's named Curly Joe. He's played by stuntman extraordinaire Yakima Canutt. At least you know the stunts are good. Hodges is fun as the medicine show huckster. There's also quite a bit of comedy and some songs including one about suspenders that needs to be heard.

Is it just me or are those the loudest horse clops you ever heard? Also, I'm not sure what era this was supposed to take place in. Lone Star wasn't known for caring about historical accuracy in these cheap B westerns. There were usually shots of telephone poles and the like in the background. Here there are 1930s-era cars and clothes but everything else says Old West. This western, like the other B's made in the '30s, will seem pretty much like kids stuff today. But there is some fun to be had with it. Fans of the Duke might want to check it out. Avoid the version with the bizarre modern electronic score added.

In Paradise Canyon, John Wayne is a federal man looking for some counterfeiters. Suspicion is falling on Earl Hodgins, the feds are circling in on him. Looks like the work he was sent to prison for a 10 year stretch for.

Hodgins back in the day operated his racket from a carnival medicine show and the medicine show has been started up again. Wayne helps Hodgins skedaddle out of town and in gratitude Hodgins lets Wayne join the show as a trick shot artist.

Of course Hodgins's daughter Marion Burns is also quite the distraction for Wayne.

With some detective work and a little help from the Mexican Rurales, the Duke uncovers the real counterfeit mastermind.

Paradise Canyon has a weak story line and the VHS copy I viewed wasn't particularly good. However this particular film was stolen by Earl Hodgins as the garrulous carnival man. Hodgins is quite good in a part usually reserved for Gabby Hayes in these Lone Star Productions.