Wild West Exploits with Wild Wes, Parte Uno
Union Suit Fans, if you're looking for a good film to help get you through the dreary days of winter and one to help you survive indoor boredom from the cold and snow that races weekly across the country, you couldn't do much better than by watching Retro Jeff's suggestion of a modern "silent" movie.
The Adventures of Bandit and Wild Wes is now streaming on Tubi and can be purchased on Amazon. This well orchestrated flick is actually a serial of twelve short westerns filmed in twelve months. The film hasn't a word spoken but rather relies on music, movement and mugging from it's main character and others. Movies before "talkies" have always intrigued me. This one pleasantly brings back oldies to present day.
Travis Mills hits just the right chord in this film, playing a not-to-bright cowboy, Wild Wes, who soon hooks up with a loyal, scruffy companion which he names "Bandit." As it happens, the cowboy eventually ends up spending most of the movie attired in just his old dusty union suit.
The film opens with two bandits, partners Wild Wes and Slippery Slim. In scene one, the boys sit around a camp fire, eating beans and counting the money they had stolen. It's not made clear where the bag of coins and greenbacks came from; could have been a bank, a train, or perhaps a stage coach. No matter.
Counting the loot, Slim decides he might as well have all the confiscated goods, so he pulls out his sidearm, threatens Wes and ties him to a tree. Without remorse, the slippery crook slips away,
Caught out in the middle of nowhere, Wes hollars for help! Suddenly, he spies something moving towards him in the tall range grass. A bear?! Nah, it't a mangy old mut coming out of the wilderness...
After sniffing around, then sampling the forgotten skillet of beans, the canine realizes the man needs assistance. It chews through the rope, releasing the frantic but now thankful cowboy. Now freed, Wes decides to adopt his new compainion and names him "Bandit." His new and more loyal partner joins up in the search for Slippery Slim.
Their hunt for the double crosser leads the duo to a ghost down where....
Wes conventiently finds a tub of warm water sheds his britches, shoes and socks and still wearing his union suit, relaxes after many miles of traversing the desert.
After a nice scrubbing, the partners resume their search for Slim:
Suddenly, Wes figures he has found his man:
But no! It's a girl. And, a very attractive one at that! He learns her name is "Lady Bandit." After hearing the sad predicament Wes had found himself, she informs him she knows where Slim is and will show him. But first he must agree to assist her. Anything for a lovely lady.
After helping the young maiden, the couple decide to enjoy getting to know each other even better. Wes eagerly agrees that tomorrow will be soon enough to catch the scoundrel!
But Wes is exhausted beyond even love making and soon falls deeply asleep. When he awakes, he discovers he is by himself. Lady Bandit, a thief herself, has stolen quietly away. She steals everything the snoring cowboy has left, stripping Wes of not only his hat, boots, socks and gun but his britches as well! She left him lying there on the cold ground barefoot with only a union suit to his name!
Yawning and refreshed with his loyal canine lazily resting beside him:
Wes suddenly realizes he's been reduced to only his long underwear! Did his lady friend double-cross him too??!!
Where did his new found love go? Bandit is not telling....
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What now? Will the ever resourceful Wes spend more days wandering the old west in only his union suit. Will he find success in the search for the man who stole his money and now the woman who confiscated his gun, boots and clothes. Or, will Wes be destined to wander the countryside for the foreseeable future in only a suit of long underwear?!Catch more of the long johns exploits on Tubi and right here next week as you check in with me at Union Suit Fans in the Limelight.
A hearty shout out to Running Wild Films, the serials' cast and crew, and to union suit fan, Retro Jeff, who brought this fun film to my attention!
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